


The Long Game

by MiraculousJessarose



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Abduction, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Identity Reveal, Aged-Up Character(s), Akuma Attack, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Chloe is a badass, F/M, Kidnapping, Ladrien | Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng as Ladybug, Ladynoir | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng as Ladybug, Marichat | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Mystery, Original Akuma, Protective Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Psychological Torture, Romance, eventual identity reveal, long game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:08:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 52,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23081449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiraculousJessarose/pseuds/MiraculousJessarose
Summary: After two years of trying and failing, Hawk Moth decides to hire a professional. This mercenary kidnaps anyone associated with Ladybug and Chat Noir, one by one, to lure them out. He's playing the Long Game. Eventually stuck with no one else to turn to, our heroes must dig deep down into their vulnerabilities in order to save their friends - including the ones they love.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 51
Kudos: 173





	1. Stilettos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys and gals! This is actually my first ever fanfiction. I've been tossing the ideas around for a few days now and finally put it to words. I hope you all enjoy! I look forward to any feedback that could help improve my stories. This will probably be multiple chapters by the end, but as of yet I've only written the one.

**Chapter One: Stilettos**

“ADRIEKINS!”

Adrien winced at Chloe screaming his nickname. The sound echoed down the hallway of the Grand Paris Hotel, reverberating back up to the pair standing at Chloe’s door. She had thrown herself on him, giving him a tight and abrupt hug. Adrien grumbled over her shoulder, “Don’t you think I’m too old for that nickname now?”

Chloe pulled back, aghast. She kept her hands locked behind his neck, maintaining the distance. “What are you talking about? We’re seventeen, not thirty. I will call you whatever I want. Refusal would be-”

“Ridiculous. Utterly Ridiculous. I know,” Adrien cut her off, smiling at the same familiar phrase. They had this conversation nearly every time they saw each other. He hoped at some point, it would stick. He pulled her arms off her shoulder, getting to business. “Chloe, I have a very important favor to ask you. Do you mind if we speak in your room?”

“Adriekins, in my room?! Of course! Come in, come in!” 

Adrien sheepishly rolled his eyes behind her back while she led him into her suite. _Same old Chloe_ , he thought. They had known each other for most of their lives, so nothing she did was unfamiliar anymore. Just the same childhood friend, expecting his full attention and pouting when it wasn’t received. She was used to getting her way, but he made sure never to give her the idea that he was so easily won over.

There was a tray of croissants and macaroons waiting with some tea. She clearly put her butler to work as soon as Adrien asked her at school if he could come by. But this visit wasn’t for the standard pleasantries. He sat down on the velvet sofa, careful not to get too comfortable. “So Chloe…”

“Relax, Adriekins, it’s just me. Plus, these new couches are especially plush.”

Sigh. “Chloe, you remember my cousin Felix?”

Realizing he wasn’t going to relax, she answered rudely. “Yes yes, I remember him. Looks just like you, but the opposite in personality. Why do you ask?”

“Well, he has found himself in an uncomfortable situation. He’s run away from his home, coming to my house in the middle of the night. I know if Father saw him, he’d send him away. However, I suspect my Aunt will come looking for him here soon enough. He just needs some space to clear his head for a little while. He plans to return home eventually.”

“Pfft, that troublemaker. I never liked him compared to you.”

“Right. So I was wondering if you might have an empty room here at the hotel that I could rent for him, just for a couple weeks. He would pay in cash, of course, so his mom couldn’t track his cards. I know it’s a lot to ask, considering this is the finest hotel in Paris, but nowhere else would suit him.” Adrien looked nervously at Chloe, gauging her reaction. She was squinting, looking very dissatisfied. 

“Croissant?” she asked, staring him down. She was going to have her way, or nothing at all. Adrien pointedly took a croissant from the tray, and seeing that she still was frowning, he leaned back on the couch. She was right, it was plush. This was enough to suit her though, as she smirked. “Of course, Adriekins, I can get that set up in no time.”

He breathed out in relief. “Really? Thanks Chloe, I really appreciate it.” Adrien took a bite out of the croissant, feeling pleased with how that went. Chloe took out her phone to call her butler to handle the matters. This went a lot easier than he expected. When Felix showed up in his backyard last night, he was confused and a little annoyed. Adrien had been about to transform and go on patrol with his Ladybug. The unexpected visitor made that impossible. He hoped Ladybug wasn’t worried when he didn’t show, but also knew she wouldn’t be. Ladybug has rebuffed his feelings time and time again. It didn’t stop him from trying, though. Chat Noir had all the confidence of Adrien, but without the figurative muffle of the Agreste name. He needed to get out tonight, but couldn’t with someone sharing his room. So, he needed to remove the problem. 

When Chloe finished her conversation, she grinned triumphantly at Adrien. “It’s all set. He can have the room beginning tonight through the end of next week. That’s when the room will be needed for Jagged Stone. I know, I’m awesome, you can tell me.”

“You are awesome, Chloe. I owe you one.”

Her eyes sparked with mischief. “I know how you can repay me! I just got some new outfits in. I’ll model them for you to tell me how hot I look in them. Wait right there, I’ll be right back!” She ran off before he even had time to protest, closing the door to her bedroom and leaving him in the parlor alone. He shook his head and chuckled to himself. Same old Chloe.

Reclining further on the increasingly soft couch, Adrien took out his phone from his pocket to check the Ladyblog absentmindedly. He would often pull up the website, admiring the photos of his Bugaboo. Besides that, it was a good place for Akuma Alerts. Speaking of…

**Akuma spotted near the Grand Paris Hotel. No word yet on a victim.**

The headline startled Adrien to his feet. He ran to the window, looking for the dark butterfly or an akumatized villain, if it was too late. There was nothing there. Was it maybe a false alarm? _Posted 9 mins ago._ Surely something would have happened by now, right?

As if on cue, the door to the suite blew off its hinges. Adrien dove behind the couch to shield himself. He felt a cold breeze prickle his neck as the villain walked - no, floated - to the bedroom door. _Oh god, please let Chloe have enough sense to hide. Please let her be smart enough to not try and annoy the villain away._

His hopes were dashed as he heard her voice rise up from beyond the now open door. “How dare you barge in here?! Do you know who I am?”

A deep and haunting voice came from the villain. “You are Chloe Bourgeois. A pest. And I am Cajoler. You will come with me.”

“I’m no pest! I’m Queen Bee, a superheroine! Ladybug may not believe in me, but I’m going to stop you myself.” Adrien could hear the strong defiance in her voice. No one was going to boss her around and get away with it. Cajoler advanced on Chloe, giving Adrien the chance to be out of earshot. 

“Plagg, claws out!” He felt the familiar rush as the super suit enveloped him. Peering over the back of the couch, he took an overview of the situation before taking action.

Chloe was standing in an attack-ready pose, wielding a stiletto in each hand. Chat had to admire that stubborn bravery. He finally got a good look at the villain, and it appeared Hawk Moth had outdone himself. Cajoler stood at around 7 feet tall, moving so smoothly that his footsteps were undetectable, hence why Adrien initially believed he was floating. His movements were reminiscent of a ninja, but with more fear being evoked. There was not much in terms of an outfit; instead a dark haze surrounded his figure, shrouding him in blackness. No evident akumatized object. This was going to be a challenge. Hopefully Ladybug got the alert. 

The stubborn teen went on the offensive, charging Cajoler while swinging the stilettos wildly. He effortlessly dodged all of her attacks, toying with her. Chloe’s arms and legs were flying rapidly, desperate to make a hit. A dark laugh came from the hazy figure. _He’s enjoying this._ Chat thought. _Sick bastard. Time for action._ Chat Noir prepared himself to assist in the battle.

He was too late. By the time he got to his feet, Cajoler had Chloe by the throat. She was struggling from his grip, shivering from the cold darkness that began to surround her neck, fear now screaming from her eyes. Cajoler leaned in close to her face to speak. “You misunderstood. It wasn’t a question. You’re coming with me. That’s an order.”

“Not so fast, _Mist_ er. I’m afraid I’m the only one allowed to look good in black,” Chat Noir called out, cringing slightly at his own pun. He knew this was no time to make jokes, but it was a reflex that came with the suit. Or more likely, the anonymity. 

Cajoler turned to him, dropping a faint Chloe. She collapsed with coughs as Chat finally got his first look at the enemy’s face.

Or rather, lack thereof.

It appeared that any identifying features had been removed, leaving behind the swirling blackness and glowing white holes where his eyes would be. A chill went down Chat’s spine, but this time not from the cold emanating from the figure. This was a chill of apprehension. Could he really do this without Ladybug? Where was she?

“Ah, just the cat I was looking for. Your timing is impeccable.”

“Oh yeah? Well your timing won’t be for much longer.” Chat got into a position to pounce, activating his cataclysm. A cocky smirk dominated his face. 

“Au Contraire. I intend to be around for quite some time. See what this city has to offer, which citizens are ripe for the taking, how long they would take before giving up.” There went the chills again. Never had an akumatized villain spoken with such enjoyment. He couldn’t find a motive beneath the words, and that was perhaps the most dangerous part. 

Chat Noir couldn’t delay any longer. Careful to avoid using his hand with the ring, he vaulted over the couch and reached down, intending to remove the floor from beneath Cajolers feet. Instead, he found himself being thrust into the bedroom door headfirst, his cataclysm destroying it only after the physical damage had been done. _Damn, he was fast!_ Chat saw the room spinning, but felt himself coming to quickly thanks to the regenerative powers of the suit. Almost as if he knew this, Cajoler grabbed him and slammed his head into the ground a couple of times, making sure he was out cold. Darkness rushed to his head. Chat just had a last fleeting moment to wish Ladybug wouldn’t be disappointed in him, before the world went dark. 

_Take his Miraculous! It’s right there, ready for the taking!_

“Not yet. I intend to take the long game, Hawk Moth. This is why you hired me. I can succeed where no one else has before. Just let me do this my own way.”

_But he is defenseless. Any moment now, he’ll detransform. The ring can be mine!_

“You want more than just the ring. And I intend to deliver. Back off, and leave this to the professional.”

_I didn’t know mercenaries came with an attitude._

“There is a lot you don’t know.” Cajoler said curtly, indicating that the conversation was over. The first part of the mission was done. It was much easier than Hawk Moth led him to believe. He heard a commotion in the hallway and a rapid beeping from Chat Noir’s ring. “That’s my cue.” He swept Chloe up into his arms and jumped from the balcony, escaping into the Parisian sunset. 

Back in the suite, the beeping stopped and all that remained was a blonde teenager, a shattered door, and two broken stilettos. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Long Game! Right after posting this, I'm going to get started on Chapter Two. Get ready for some Ladybug action!


	2. Pain Medicine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leave it to the heroes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for the kudos! It makes me happy that someone actually likes my work so far. I plan to keep writing it regardless, just to get the ideas from my head and onto paper, but reassurances help. Any comments would be appreciated!

**Chapter Two: Pain Medicine**

Marinette was in her room absentmindedly working on homework. Truthfully, she was obsessing over one detail from today. “Why do you think Adrien wanted to go to Chloe’s place after school?”

“Maybe he needs her help,” a high pitched voice squeaked from over her shoulder. Her kwami, Tikki, was ever the voice of reason. When it came to her crush on Adrien though, there was never any normal reason. 

“What if he’s finally figured out that he’s liked her all along? What if they’re sitting in her suite right now, laughing over how embarrassing I am? What if…” Marinette gasped. “What if she’s kissing him?!” Her face was now drained of all color, the overactive imagination giving ridiculous scenarios. 

Tikki flew in front of her face and crossed her arms. “Marinette, you know Adrien isn’t that kind of person. Stop worrying over things outside of your control.”

_ Sighs.  _ “I know, Tikki. I just get so flustered around him still, even after two years. I wish I could be more like Ladybug.” She put her head down on her desk dejectedly. Her crush was still so strong that she constantly fumbled her words and blushed furiously in front of him. Around him as Ladybug, she’s confident - or at least, more so. He can’t see that behind the mask, it’s just plain Marinette. She envied her alter ego for the bravery to speak full sentences in front of those gorgeous green eyes. 

A bright red spot settled on the desk. “Marinette, you  _ are  _ Ladybug,” Tikki insisted. “The confidence is inside you as a person, not as a superhero. Embrace it.”

Marinette groaned. They had this dialogue nearly every day when she beat up on herself. Despite Tikki’s well-meaning reassurances, nothing ever came from it. As soon as she locked eyes with Adrien, she reverted back to her former self. 

A notification popped up on Marinette’s phone. Akuma Alert, courtesy of the Ladyblog. She quickly opened the message, with Tikki reading over her shoulder.

**Akuma spotted near the Grand Paris Hotel. No word yet on a victim.**

“Tikki! That’s where Adrien is right now! I have to go save him!”

“And, I suppose, everyone else in danger?” Tikki smiled encouragingly.

“Of course. Tikki, spots on!” Marinette rushed to her rooftop trapdoor as she felt the suit engulf her. Climbing up, she could see the signature red and black spots covering her arms, and felt the familiar weight of her yoyo on her hip. Launching herself through the air, Ladybug rushed toward the Hotel. She reached it in no time at all. The adrenaline pumped as she ran through the lobby. Finding Chloe’s room was routine at this point, considering the amount of akuma’s she’s caused. No time for the elevator. She threw her yoyo to the top railing of the staircase and pulled herself up. 

The hallway leading to her door was eerily quiet, but the sight at the end sent shivers through Ladybug. Chloe’s door was shattered open. “ADRIEN!” Ladybug shouted without thinking. She sprinted down the hall and through the broken door frame. 

Laying on the floor near the bedroom was the boy of her dreams. Adrien was sprawled out as though he had tried to fight. The thought warmed her heart a little, but the dread was overpowering. She raced to his side and cradled him in her lap, checking him over for any signs of injury. Any signs of life. A flush came over her face as she leaned in close, listening for a heartbeat. Thankfully, she heard it. Ladybug drew him in closer, holding his chest to her ear so she could calm herself with that reassuring rhythm. All that mattered right now was that he was okay.

She felt a slight movement in her arms, and heard a name tumbling from his lips. “Chloe…” he groaned. Right, there was someone else in that room that required help. There was still an akuma to defeat. Barricading her emotions away, Ladybug lifted Adrien onto the nearby couch and went to search for her mean classmate. 

The bedroom was empty, save for a few scattered clothing items. Most prominent was a broken pair of high heel shoes. The door was also suspiciously missing entirely. But what was most concerning is that there was no sign of the akumatized villain. She raced to the balcony to see, but the skyline was clear. He or she must have escaped with their captive. The only thing left to do was hope she could get as much information as possible from Adrien. 

Coming back into the main area of the suite, Ladybug heard a quick hiss of pain as Adrien struggled to sit up. Within seconds she was by his side, encouraging him to stay relaxed and not hurt himself further. Reaching into her yoyo, she pulled out some pain medicine that she had begun carrying around ever since Hawk Moth had become increasingly insistent. These days it seemed his villains were less concerned if they hurt anyone, which required Ladybug to bring an emergency first aid kit along, just in case. She spotted a few teacups scattered on the ground with some crushed snacks. Grabbing an intact one, she filled it with water from the bathroom sink and brought it back to Adrien, pressing the medicine into his hand. “Here. Take this and drink up. Then we can talk.”

He gratefully accepted, swallowing with a wince as the movement shook his head. Ladybug gently placed a pillow behind his head so he could lay down comfortably. After a few minutes of silence, his green eyes opened and landed on Ladybug. “Thank you,” he said softly, struggling to smile faintly. He reached for her hand and squeezed gently. The blush reignited on her face at the sensation. 

She pulled away awkwardly, scratching the back of her head with that hand to settle the tingling. Ladybug couldn’t let her crush come to the surface and complicate matters. Still, she struggled with her words. “N-no problem. You’re A-Arien, right? I think I’ve helped you a couple times,” she smiled nervously. 

“Yeah, that’s me,” he looked away, staring up at the ceiling. 

Ladybug forced professionalism into her voice. “What happened here? Please don’t leave anything out. Any details could help.”

Adrien looked away thoughtfully. “I was just visiting my friend Chloe when we got the akuma alert. I - uhh - I hid behind the couch when he broke through the door. Chloe tried to fight him off with her shoes while I tried to uhh, get the upper hand on him. We both failed. He knocked me unconscious. The next thing I remember is waking up on this couch. Where is Chloe?”

She could tell that it hurt him to talk too much, so she kept things brief. “Chloe is nowhere to be found.”

Pain flashed in his eyes, though she doubted it was from the headache. “He took her. He said he would. I failed to protect her. I failed.” He looked anguished.

Unknowingly, Ladybugs hand lifted to gently stroke his blonde hair. It was a comforting motion that her mother often did to soothe a worried mind. More comfort came with her words. “You didn’t fail. You did everything you could. We can’t win every battle the first time around.” A reassuring smile lit up her face. Adrien’s hand raised to hold the one in his hair.  _ Is he blushing? _ Ladybug thought with a start.  _ Okay, you’re helping. Keep going.  _ “You are very brave, but you should leave the fighting to the actual superheroes. Chat Noir and I are here to keep you safe. We can’t be worrying about civilians putting themselves in danger. Especially handsome ones.” She blushed and pulled away, realizing too late that she said too much. His blush remained, but he turned away looking disappointed and conflicted. She could only wonder why. She backtracked quickly, trying to get back to the purpose of this encounter. “Uh, a-anything else you can tell me about this villain?”

Adrien’s eyes returned to their transfixed state on the ceiling. He sighed, and began the explanation. “He called himself Cajoler…”

  
  


When Ladybug finished learning all she could from Adrien, she carried him home, trying not to think about how close he was to her. From the details he had provided, she knew this was a unique akuma. She needed to meet with Chat Noir and discuss strategies. Her civilian feeling for Adrien couldn’t complicate matters. 

Still, he looked so beautiful in her arms. 

She deposited him gently to his feet in front of the gates to the Agreste Manor. The pain medicine seemed to be working, and he assured her again that he was okay. Ladybug squeezed his shoulder with her hand, smiling at her friend. To her surprise, he pulled her in for a hug. “Thank you again,” he whispered into her hair. After the initial shock, she settled into the embrace. 

The hug had lasted for a questionable period of time when they were started by a loud electronic voice. “Adrien,” Nathalie said through the gate intercom. “You’re late. Hurry inside or you’ll miss your chinese lesson.”

The superhero and the teen separated, both looking away to hide their respective blushes. Adrien turned toward the gate sheepishly, bidding a goodbye to Ladybug. She lingered a moment with her hand up in a wave as she watched him walk to the doors of the mansion. Only once he was out of sight did she release the breath she had been holding. “Goodbye, my love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a little shorter, but I plan on the next one being a little longer. That should make up for it. I'm sure the further along this story progresses, the longer the chapters will be.


	3. A Shred of Fabric

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cajoler Strikes Again.

**Chapter Three: A Shred of Fabric**

That was the quickest Chinese lesson Adrien Agreste had ever had in his life. The teacher could tell that he wasn’t all the way there, so he offered to just run through a conversation as a short quiz. They would pick up again later. Besides, Adrien had been late, so the time allotted was running short. No complaints there. Chinese was the least of his worries. He slowly ascended the staircase to his room. 

As soon as Adrien closed his bedroom door, he leaned back on it and slid to the floor. There were several reasons behind this. First and foremost, his head was still in immense pain, despite the helpful pain medicine. Secondly, he was still feeling faint from hugging Ladybug. The effect she had on him was undeniable. But mostly, it was the things she had said to him that brought him to his knees. 

On cue, Plagg lazily flew out of his shirt and poked him in the cheek. “Hey kid, in case you forgot, I need some cheese. That headache hurts me too, ya know.”

“Help yourself,” Adrien grumbled. “I just refilled the fridge this morning. And stay out of sight. Felix should be around here somewhere.”

“Wow, you’re really messed up. Even I can hear the shower running. That’s probably where he is.” Plagg looked like he was about to show an affectionate motion, but his stomach grumbled in protest. Without a second glance, he darted over and phased into the fridge door. Now that he was gone, Adrien listened and did indeed hear the faint sound of the shower. So he had a couple minutes more to collect his thoughts before he needed to put on a brave face for his cousin. But there was so much going on in his mind. Ladybug thought he was handsome. She had blushed! That thought alone filled him with elation. Unfortunately, it was tainted by the overpowering concern that she didn’t see him as anything more than what he appeared. She wasn’t in love with his personality as Chat Noir. Was she really like all the other fangirls who just like him for his looks? The thought was too much.

“Just ask her, kid.” Apparently, Adrien was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t even notice Plagg returning to sit on his shoulder and munch away happily at the Camembert in his paws.

“What do you mean?”

“Come on, don’t pretend I didn’t hear that conversation with Ladybug.” Plagg put his paws on his face and said in an exaggerated girl's voice, “‘Especially handsome ones!’ I know you’re wanting to know what she really thinks of you.”

“You’re right. I should just ask. That’s the only way I’ll know.”

“Don’t get your hopes up too much. I don’t want to watch you pout over her photos on the LadyBlog tonight if she doesn’t give you the answer you want.”

Adrien shook his head with a small smile, though the action sent a bolt of pain to his head. Plagg meant well, even if he had a hard time showing it. He’s gotten used to his Kwami’s unique terms of endearment. After all, he was right. And he was sure Ladybug would be looking for her partner to discuss this new akuma. He carefully got to his feet and checked to make sure Felix was still showering, before calling on Plagg to transform him into Chat Noir. Within a few seconds, he could feel his head starting to clear up. The suit had that benefit, so he could keep up a fight even when taking heavy hits. Suddenly, he felt more like himself. He could do this. Time to go meet his lady. 

As expected, Ladybug was waiting for him atop the Eiffel Tower. It was their favorite location to get an overview of the city. As an added bonus for Chat Noir, it was also very romantic. She was sitting on the edge of a beam, back straight, worry evident. He landed gently next to her so she wouldn’t be startled. “Hey Bugaboo, what’s on that pretty mind of yours?”

She didn’t look at him. “Where were you?”

Chat was surprised by the accusatory tone in her voice. “What do you mean?”

“There was an akuma attack. By the time I got there, he had already escaped. He took the mayor's daughter, Chloe Bourgeois. And…” her voice cracked. Was she about to cry? “He hurt a civilian.”

Chat feigned shock. “Really? Who got hurt?”

Ladybug shook her head, snapping out of the emotion and getting serious. “Adrien Agreste. He’s that model you see on billboards all over Paris. We’ve saved him before a couple times.” She noticed Chat’s quizzical look. He didn’t remember saving himself. “Remember when his bodyguard got akumatized? Gorizilla?”

“Oh yeah, that was a crazy day.” Chat scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. He remembered that day very well. It was the first time he really got to hang out with his friend, Marinette. It was one of his fondest memories, actually. “Is he going to be okay?”

Sadness tinged her expression again. “He was unconscious when I got there. I gave him some pain medicine and brought him home.” They both blushed and looked away from each other, remembering the lingering hug. “Last I saw, he seemed like he would be fine. Doesn’t change the fact that we need to stop this akuma before he hurts anyone else.”

“Alright Milady, give me the details,” Chat proceeded to listen to her tell him everything he had already told her as Adrien. He made sure to slip in a couple gasps and questions. Once she was finished, she pursed her lips and held her hand to her chin, thinking.  _ She looks so beautiful like this.  _ Chat thought. He loved watching the gears in her head turning. Her intelligence was one of the reasons he fell in love with her. And her bravery. And her impeccable instincts. And her eyes…  _ Focus!  _ “So what do you  _ puur _ pose we do?” There went that defense mechanism of puns again. 

“We can go back tomorrow and reexamine the crime scene, if there is no new updates. Mayor Bourgeois is going to be all over us until we get his daughter back safely. From Adrien’s description, the abduction didn’t seem personal. It was more purposeful, like there was a goal to meet. Kidnapping the mayor’s daughter is certainly a way to make a statement. I bet he’s going to try ransoming her for our miraculous. So we should be looking out for any kind of message. Until then, we have to heighten our patrols. Keep a keen eye out. His powers appear to give him advanced spy capabilities, so it will be hard to detect him.” Each sentence seemed to turn on a new lightbulb in her head. 

“I love the way you think, LB. You’re probably absolutely right.”

The corner of her mouth curved up in a half smile. “Thanks, Kitty.” She seemed to have forgiven him for not appearing for the initial attack. 

Now was as good a time as any to ask the question on the forefront of his mind. “So, Milady, you seemed pretty upset about this Agreste boy getting hurt. Do you have feelings for him,  _ puuur _ haps?” His mask moved with his teasingly raising eyebrows. 

She blushed heavily. “Uhhh, n-no, why w-would you think t-that? He’s just… really famous! Yeah, that’s it. He’s famous, a model, and beautiful…” her voice trailed off as her face became a love struck expression. Both her hands were on her cheeks now as she leaned forward.

Trying to hide his initial disappointment, he pried further. “That’s all? You don’t know him in real life, huh?” Chat’s fingers crossed behind his back. 

She jumped defensively. “No! No no no, of course not! I just admire him… f-from the magazines and stuff! Pffft, if I knew him in real life I probably wouldn’t be able to speak straight.” Her blush deepened, if that was even possible. But Chat’s face was drained of emotion.  _ So that’s it then. She only cares about my looks. And here I hoped she would be different.  _ The thoughts were overwhelming, so he pushed them back. No need to give her a reason for suspicion. She laughed nervously, holding her arms across her chest. “Besides, you shouldn’t ask me questions like that. Our identities…”’

“...must remain a secret, I know. I’m just teasing you.” He needed to get home before he revealed too much emotion. Chat got to his feet on the beam, offering his hand to help Ladybug up. She accepted and looked him in the eyes for what felt like the first time that night. 

“Be careful, okay? When you weren’t there earlier, I was worried. I can’t do this without my partner.”

Chat squeezed her hand reassuringly. “I promise. You won’t ever have to worry about me, Bugaboo. Though it’s cute that you do,” he winked and leaned forward to place a kiss upon her hand. 

She pulled her hand from his grip and poked him in the nose. “Nice try, Kitty.” They shared a fond smile before turning to go their separate ways. That was, until both their weapons beeped with an alert. 

**Akumatized Villain spotted outside the Agreste Mansion.**

Instantly, the playful banter was over. They looked up from their devices and nodded in mutual understanding. Ready for action. They hurriedly traveled to the Akuma.

  
  


By the time they got there, all that remained was a broken window to Adrien’s room. Ladybug launched into the window, checking the scene, while Chat circled the grounds searching for any sign of Cajoler. Nothing. He returned to her side, only to find her holding a shred of clothing. It looked like one of his shirts had ripped on the glass when Cajoler abducted him.  _ Wait, but he didn’t abduct me. Obviously. I’m still here.  _

The realization hit him like a truck. Felix. His cousin must’ve been mistaken for Adrien, especially with the latter loaning him clothes. He cursed silently.

Ladybug’s fist closed tightly on the shred. “Any sign of him?”

“Nothing, Mila-”

“Look again!” Her voice rose when she cut him off, alarming Chat. Tears of anger were welling in her blue eyes. He obliged, taking another loop around the property. 

She was right, he had missed something. When he was standing on the outer wall, he heard his name being called. “Chat Noir! Down here!” Following the source of the voice lead him to Nino flagging him down from below. He dropped to his friends side. “Thank goodness you’re here. That monster took my best friend.”

This was all so confusing. “Why were you here, outside of the wall? Did you see anything?”

“Oh dude, I saw it all. I came by to check on my pal Adrien because I know he was involved in the earlier attack, but when I got here I heard the window crash. Adrien was yelling at him to get out, but he didn’t stand much of a chance. Cajoler just took him out with a single punch and hauled him off.” Chat cringed at the thought of his cousin being hurt on his behalf. “It’s weird, cuz Adrien is kinda a badass when it comes to fencing, so I would’ve expected him to hold his own longer. I guess that says a lot about the villain. Not many people can come toe-to-toe with Agreste and still make it out victorious.”

Chat struggled to hide a smile. Nino was such a good friend, and the fact that he believed in him was encouraging.  _ If only Ladybug thought that same way…  _ Nope, now was not the time for that. “Mind coming with me to Ladybug so you can tell her all you know?”

“Sure, anything to help my friend.”

Making sure he had a good grip on Nino, Chat vaulted over the wall and into the window with one fluid motion. Ladybugs back was to them, so Chat cleared his throat to get her attention. Her back stiffened in alarm and she quickly swept her hands over her face to conceal the tears before turning around. “Oh, Nino!” She smiled, clearly trying to keep a brave face. “What are you doing here?”

Chat answered for him. “He saw the whole thing. Why don’t I let him fill you in while I search the rest of the house?” She nodded. He took his leave of the room. One nagging question was bothering him. He expected his dad and Nathalie to be gone. They were on their way to the airport for a business meeting in Milan. He barely got a chance to say goodbye to his father between coming home earlier and his Chinese lesson. But... where was the Gorilla? His bodyguard never left the house. Surely he would have fought off Cajoler before letting him take his charge. 

It didn’t take long to get his answer. The foyer was a mess. One of the chandeliers was barely hanging on, while the other was on the ground. Shattered glass littered the floor. The plants that framed the doorway were toppled over with their contents spread across the whole room. And at the base of the stairs was the Gorilla, gagged and bound. Chat slid down the banister to reach him faster, quickly slicing at the ropes with his claws. The Gorilla removed the gag himself. “Are you okay, Mister?” A grunt and nod was his only response. He got to his feet and started up the stairs without hesitation. Chat vaulted over him to land in front, blocking his way. “Adrien is already gone. An akumatized villain got to him. I suppose he took you out first?” Another nod. “I’m sorry. We’ll do all we can to catch the bad guy and return the Agreste boy home. There is nothing more you can do for now.” Hesitant speculation was the only readable emotion on the behemoth of a man. After a few more seconds, he grunted again and nodded, going back down the stairs to sit where Chat found him.

Chat lingered on the staircase for a moment longer, befuddled by how Cajoler could be strong enough to overcome the  _ Gorilla _ , of all people. And why did he come after Adrien in the first place? Couldn’t he have just taken him earlier with Chloe? Some things just weren’t adding up here. Maybe Ladybug would have some answers.

When he got back in the bedroom, he saw Nino and Ladybug sitting on his couch. The picture was surreal, his two worlds clashing before his very eyes. She looked up when he entered. “Chat, what did you find?”

“Cajoler took out Adrien’s bodyguard first. The foyer is a disaster. Adrien must’ve been hiding in here. I suspect our villain knew this, based on his tactical skill, which is why he came in through the window. More of an element of surprise.” He felt awkward describing himself as cowardice. This was seriously hurting his civilian-selfs credibility with Ladybug. But it was the only thing that made sense. Felix must’ve hid somewhere in the room when he heard the commotion. 

The thoughtful look was back on her face. “This doesn’t make sense. If he wanted to take Adrien, why didn’t he earlier at the hotel? Why cause more destruction?” Chat was thankful that he wasn’t the only one thinking that. With two minds puzzling over it, an answer is bound to be found. She shook her head with confusion. “We need to take the night to think this over. It’s past midnight already. I’m sure we’ll have a fresher perspective in the morning.”

“Good thinking, LB. I’ll go ahead and take our witness here back to his place, and meet up with you at our usual spot in the morning? Say, 9?”

“Sure, sounds like a plan. Thanks Chat.” She walked over to the window, preparing to launch her yoyo, but paused to turn back. “Remember what I said earlier. I can’t do this without you. Don’t forget.”

“I won’t, Milady. Besides, I have nine lives,” he winked at her playfully. Again with that half smile on her part, before she flung her yoyo to wrap around the nearest rooftop. Chat’s eyes followed her departure. No matter what happened, he loved that girl.

“Woaaahhh, dude, you’ve got it bad for her,” Nino exclaimed. Chat just sighed in acceptance before offering his hand to him for the ride home. His best friend held on tight as they flew over the streets of Paris. After dropping him off though, he suddenly realized he had an entirely new problem. 

Where the  _ hell  _ was he going to sleep tonight?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made this chapter longer, as promised. Honestly, I was tempted to keep going, but I decided to split it into two chapters instead. I look forward to writing my fav of the ships in next. :)


	4. A Pillow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nightmares can reveal a lot about a person.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had the day off today, so I finished this chapter. Prepare for Marichat cuteness!

**Chapter Four: A Pillow**

Chat’s answer came by instinct. He just started traveling the rooftops of Paris, not sure where his mind was taking him, but feeling confident in the resolution. Before long, he landed on a familiar balcony. 

Marinette was not only his friend in civilian life, but also as a hero. Chat’s saved her a few times, which developed into him genuinely caring for her. She was the only one who knew the true extent of his feelings for Ladybug, especially after seeing his attempted romantic rooftop rendezvous. At this point, he visited her whenever he had free time and didn’t feel like going home yet. Besides, she was so different with him in his two personas. As Adrien, she had a hard time talking. But as Chat, she had the confidence that he admires in her, and treats him like any other friend of hers. He wasn’t sure what the meaning for the difference was, but he was just grateful to know the real Marinette. 

Apparently, his landing wasn’t as soft as he’d hoped. The sound of the trapdoor opening turned him around to see Marinette’s eyes peering through the crack. They widened in surprise as a gasp escaped her. The door opened fully then, displaying the girl wearing pink pjs. Her hair was down around her face instead of in her signature pigtails, already tousled from laying in bed.  _ Damn, she’s cute.  _ Chat thought. 

She finally found her voice. “Chat Noir? What are you doing here?”

“Just dropping in to check on my  _ Puur _ incess,” he winked. Her expression told him that she wasn’t buying that. He sighed, hanging his head awkwardly. “I don’t have anywhere to go tonight. It’s… complicated, but I can’t go home. I thought I’d just sleep here, on your roof. If you want me to leave, I understand.”

She shook her head. “You’re not sleeping on my roof.”

His shoulders slumped in disappointment. “I understand. Sorry to bother y-”

Chat felt a tug pulling him back. He turned to see that Marinette had grabbed his tail and was smirking. “I meant, you’re not sleeping on my roof when I have a perfectly usable Chaise Lounge in my room.”

He felt his cheeks burning. “Y-you wouldn’t mind?” Why was he stuttering?

Now she was blushing too. “Of course not. You’re my friend, and you need help. Come on down, I’ll get some things ready for you.” With that, she ducked back into the room. Chat let out a breath of relief. He knew she was an amazing friend, but this was a lot to ask. She didn’t hesitate to welcome him into her home. For the first time that night, he had a genuine smile as he lowered himself into the room. Luckily he remembered that her bed was right below the door, so he swung a small distance to land on the railing around the loft instead. He’d hate to get his dirty shoes on her clean bedsheets. From his perch, he watched as she collected a fresh pillow and blanket to place on the chaise. She then looked up at him with the designer's eyes, sizing him up. She reached into the drawer next to her sewing machine and pulled out a black tracksuit with various color stripes along the sides, in colors ranging from yellow to light blue. It reminded him of something, but he wasn’t sure what. She gestured for him to come down, so he obliged, landing softly in front of her. “Here. You probably need something more comfortable to wear to sleep. Luckily, you look the same size as a guy I made these for. If you’re quiet enough, you could probably sneak downstairs to the bathroom too.”

He graciously accepted the clothes, but something else caught his eyes. Now that he was closer to her in a well-lit room, he could see that her eyes looked bloodshot, like she’d been crying. His hand reached up gently to brush her cheek with his thumb. “Were you crying?”

She pulled away and turned her face from his. “W-what? No, I just n-need to sleep. That’s all.” Marinette looked back at him with an obviously forced smile. She clearly didn’t want to talk about it, so he respected her privacy. 

Another question came to mind though. “Marinette, if I detransform to put on these clothes, you could see who I am. Ladybug is very insistent that we don’t reveal our identities to anyone. I can’t betray her trust like that,” he tried to hand the clothes back, but she refused to take them. 

Instead, she walked over to her vanity and pulled out a black mask. “I babysit a little girl named Manon. Recently, her favorite game has been dress up, so I have a few disguises around. Will this work?”

It was a replica of his own mask, but made out of softer fabric. He grinned. “This will work perfectly. Thank you Marinette.” He put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed, just like Ladybug had done to Adrien earlier that night. A friendly gesture. However, Marinette raised her hand to cover his, holding it in place. Something was very wrong, and it looked like the words were on the tip of her tongue. 

She looked down and bit her lip. Chat guessed she decided against opening up, because she pulled away. “I should go back to bed. Sweet dreams, Chat.” He tried to hide his disappointment as the beautiful girl before him climbed the ladder back to her bed. 

Chat made his way downstairs. The sight of the dining room was nostalgic of the time Chat had breakfast with the Dupain-Cheng family. That was a disaster, but it felt nice to be accepted. It was a good reminder to be quiet though. Marinette’s father made it perfectly clear that day that he wanted the best for his daughter, and Chat Noir definitely didn’t top that list. 

_ Adrien, on the other hand… _

He shook off the thought and entered the bathroom. “Claws in,” he said as soon as the door closed. 

Plagg flew over to sit on the sink, thoroughly exhausted. “I should report you for kwami abuse, Adrien.”

“Sorry Plagg,” he sighed dejectedly. There wasn’t enough energy in either of them to keep up the usual banter. Adrien changed clothes sluggishly, feeling the weight of sleep weighing him down. He nearly forgot to put on the mask, but managed to remember when Plagg flew in front of him. Slipping the mask over his eyes, he tied the strings behind his head, surprised by the comfortable fit. He looked in the mirror. Besides the fact that he was missing his cat ears and his eyes weren’t entirely green anymore, this disguise would do the trick. Plus, the tracksuit  _ did  _ fit him perfectly, almost like it was hand tailored for him specifically. “Wow, she’s incredible.”

Plagg tilted his head in judgement. “Moving on from Ladybug so quickly, huh?”

“What? No. Marinette is just a friend.” The words felt wrong coming out of his mouth. Why was that?

“Yeah, a friend who selflessly invites a stray cat to spend the night. What’s next? She puts out food for you and you keep coming back until she decides to keep you?”

“Shut up, Plagg. I’m not in the mood for sarcasm tonight. She’s a friend, that’s final. Now hide.” Adrien felt bad for snapping, but he was getting defensive and didn’t know why. She was just a friend, right?

“Whatever you have to tell yourself, kid,” Plagg flew into the pocket of the tracksuit, concealing himself for when Adrien snuck back through the second floor to the ladder. He made sure to be especially quiet re-entering the bedroom in case Marinette was already asleep. She was, cradling a pillow to her chest and curled up around it in a fetal position. A few stray strands of hair fell across her cheeks. She looked so peaceful. So serene. So… beautiful. Yeah, beautiful was the best word to describe her. He blushed at this realization. Maybe Plagg was onto something. 

Not physically able to stand any longer, Adrien collapsed on the chaise lounge and wrapped himself in the blanket, breathing in the smell of vanilla. He made sure to fall asleep staring at the beautiful sight in the loft above him, which was the only reason he slipped so easily into dreams. 

  
  


“ADRIEN!!!”

The scream pierced his sleep and instantly brought him to his feet. Many thoughts flickered through his mind in a heartbeat. Did his mask fall off in his sleep? No, still there. Did he sleep in too late and she saw through his disguise? No, the moonlight was still pouring in the window, and he saw a clock reading 3:29 am. Did Marinette wake up? His eyes finally fell on her. She was still asleep, but her clutch on the pillow had become much tighter, like she was holding on for dear life. Her face was streaked with tears and looked anguised. She must’ve had a nightmare. 

_ Marinette had a nightmare about me? _

By the time he realized what he had done, it was too late to stop. He was at her side, cradling her in his arms and rubbing her back in soothing circles. Adrien was whispering words of comfort into her hair. He felt her stir, and suddenly the pillow was no longer separating them. She reached her arms around him and pulled him closer, sobbing into his chest. Instinctively he held her tightly and told her it was okay to let it out. Every curve of her body was pressed against his, like she didn’t want to leave any room for air.  _ What the hell happened in that nightmare?  _

After a few minutes like that, her shaking ceased and the sobbs dried out. He reached his hand up to brush the tears away, shivering at the contact between his bare hand and her face. No glove separating them now. He chose his next words carefully. “Do you want to talk about it, or just stay here like this?”

Her grip loosened, but not entirely. “Both,” she squeaked. 

He nodded, letting his hand move to stroke her hair. “Take your time.”

Adrien felt her swallow down a knot in her through, still fighting the emotions. She nuzzled her head against his chest and rested an arm across his stomach. The movement sent butterflies there, and he hoped she couldn’t feel them. Another swallow, and then she spoke in a raspy voice. “You were right earlier. I had been crying when you arrived. It’s just… there’s this boy that I like.” Adrien’s body impulsively tensed up.  _ Why am I like this? _

“Did he do something wrong?” he asked through gritted teeth. If a guy had hurt Marinette, he had no hesitations about hurting him back.

“No, no that’s not it. You actually were at his house tonight. He was kidnapped. I read it on the LadyBlog.” She paused to breathe deeply. “His name is Adrien Agreste.”

The tension in his body instantly deflated. That’s right. She had woken up screaming his name.  _ Marinette likes Adrien? Me?  _ “Yeah, I heard you shout his name in your sleep.”

Now it was her turn to tense up, though this tension felt more like embarrassment. “I guess I was having a nightmare about it all. I can’t help but worry. I’ve spent the past 4 years in love with this guy, and now an akuma just comes out of nowhere and snatches him up. I never even got up the courage to tell him.”

The butterflies were in his chest now, but his earlier conversation with Ladybug brought bitterness to his words. “What do you like about him? He’s just a model.”

Marinette sat up and stared at the masked teen beside her in anger. Adrien was disappointed by the loss of her warmth in her arms. “How dare you! He’s so much more than that. He’s so incredibly smart that I have a hard time competing with him in class. He’s an amazing athlete at fencing. He can kick my ass at video games, but I know he sometimes lets me win. His life is so busy with his overbearing father, his professional modeling career, extracurricular activities, and schoolwork, but he still manages to do everything in his power to spend time with his friends. He genuinely cares about people. Sure, he’s extraordinarily gorgeous, but that isn’t the reason I fell in love with him. I fell in love with his determination to always be better, even when he’s the best I could ever imagine.” She looked back at the boy in her bed and blushed bright red.

Adrien was stunned. He lost control of himself and leaned forward, catching the back of her head with one hand as he pulled her into him. Lips met lips without hesitation. All he could feel was the passion that her words had ignited in him. Here he was, kissing a girl that  _ loved _ him. His fingers tangled in her soft black locks, and he breathed in the smell of vanilla again. The same smell that was on his blanket back on the chaise. The smell of Marinette. Marinette… god, how he loved her.

Their lips parted and she retreated to the other side of the bed, backing into the wall. “What did you do that for?”

He was dazed and happy, completely consumed in butterflies. But her face didn’t read the same emotion. “Did I do something wrong?”

She was touching her lips with her right hand, and gripping the bedsheets with her left. “I don’t need any pity kisses. I only want the real thing, or nothing at all.”

Right, she didn’t know that it was Adrien that kissed her, and not Chat Noir. Suddenly he was very aware of his situation from her perspective. She woke up to Chat Noir in her bed, and now he had just kissed her after she expressed her affection for another boy. He cursed himself silently, wishing he could go back and redo the whole thing. But, he didn’t wish he hadn’t kissed her. Just wished he wasn’t wearing the mask when he had. He sat up awkwardly, staying on the polar opposite of the bed, and hugged his legs to his chest. Adrien needed to contain these emotions. “I’m sorry,” he said sheepishly. They needed a subject change. “So, he got abducted by Cajoler. And you’re having nightmares because you… love him? You know Ladybug and I are going to save him, right?”

She buried her face in her own arms, mirroring his position. “What if they can’t?” He heard the tears in her voice again. Starting to reach for her, he thought better of it and stayed in place, thinking through her words. She was afraid. But she had absolutely no reason to be.  _ I’m right here! I’m okay! You don’t need to worry!  _ He wanted to scream. This was so unfair. All he wanted to do was take Marinette back into his arms and comfort her with kisses until she forgot all her fears. But, he couldn’t reveal his identity. He just had to instill her with some confidence. Mind set, he crawled closer to her and unfolded her arms from her legs, gently lifting up her head with them and wiping away the tears with the back of her own hands. “Hey, hey, don’t think like that. Ladybug and I have always saved the day, right? We’re going to do it again. We’re going to get Adrien back for you, okay? I promise.” _ I’d risk all my 9 lives if it meant I got to see you smile again.  _ He wished he could say that last part out loud. 

She looked up at him and smiled. “Thanks Chat. I’ll hold you to that promise.”

“I would hope so, Princess,” he smiled back, and drew one of her hands toward his lips. 

She pulled it away to give him a gentle poke in the nose. “Nice try, Kitty.” The moment seemed eerily familiar, but he didn’t want to think of anything else except her blue eyes that sparkled at him. He felt himself getting lost in them again, but a yawn from Marinette snapped him out of it. They both looked around and remembered awkwardly that they were still in her bed together. Twin blushes covered their faces as they turned away, mumbling their goodnights for the second time that evening. Adrien climbed down the ladder and back into the chaise lounge, feeling a warmth over his whole body that rendered the blanket obsolete. He turned to look back at the loft, disappointed that she was turned away. His fingers traced his lips, which were still buzzing with electricity. This feeling was unlike anything he had ever felt, even for Ladybug. Adrien fell asleep with a giddy smile on his face for the second time that night.

  
  


When he woke up, the sun had risen. Marinette was already gone, but before she left, she had managed to sneak a plate and glass of milk on the ground next to him. The plate was already empty save for a few crumbs and a satisfied Plagg, but he gratefully accepted the glass of milk. Plagg chose then to speak up. “Just so you know, I approve. Falling in love with the daughter of the best baker in Paris was an excellent choice.” Adrien smiled at that word.  _ Love.  _ That would explain the full feeling in his chest. 

His eyes caught the clock, and he saw that it was 8:50 am. He was supposed to meet Ladybug in 10 minutes to discuss their next steps. Adrien finished off the glass of milk and got to his feet. Time for work. “Plagg, claws out!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just love them so much. *sobs* Of all the ships, this one makes me the happiest. I hope it made you guys happy too! I haven't written in a few years now, so getting back into it has been cathartic. I forgot how good in feels to release the ideas onto the page. I know I'm a little rusty, but I'm just writing this for myself. Anyone else who finds enjoyment in it is just an added bonus. Thanks again for reading! 
> 
> There's still a few more hours left tonight to write, so I might end up having Chapter 5 ready in the morning. Keep an eye out!


	5. Baseball Bat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something just doesn't make sense.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter today. I got called in to work tonight, so I couldn't keep going on chapter 6 yet. But things are starting to speed up!

**Chapter Five: Baseball Bat**

Marinette woke up earlier than usual. Surprisingly, though she hadn’t slept much, she felt well rested. A blush came to her cheeks when she remembered what happened. She peered over the edge of the loft and confirmed that it wasn’t a dream. Chat Noir was sprawled out on her chaise lounge, snoring quietly. Her head rested on her hand as she smiled.  _ His snores are so cute… _

Tikki snapped Marinette out of her gaze, flying close to her face frantically. “What happened last night?” she whispered, a little loudly. Marinette shushed her and climbed out of bed, careful not to wake up Chat when she grabbed a change of clothes from her closet. She crept downstairs and into the bathroom to change. Thankfully her parents were already downstairs working in the bakery, or they’d probably ask why she couldn’t change in her room.  _ Oh, you know, I just let a superhero spend the night.  _ That was not a conversation she was ready to have. 

Once alone, Tikki picked right up where they left off. The little red kwami crossed her arms in front of Marinette looking confused. “What happened? Why is Chat Noir sleeping in your room?”

“It’s a long story, Tikki. But nothing happened. I still don’t know who he is.”  _ But I do know what his lips feel like, as Marinette and not Ladybug.  _ Nope, not going there. The less Tikki knew, the better. 

“Good. You know it’s incredibly dangerous to know the identities of other Miraculous holders. It’s already bad enough that I know who he is.”

Marinette’s eyes widened in surprise. “You do?!”

Tikki shied away from her eyes. “Well, yeah. When you fought Mr. Damocles, and had to detransform in front of each other, you had your eyes closed. But Chat’s kwami and I didn’t close ours.”

“You’re telling me that you’ve known who my partner is for three whole years now?” Marinette was dumbfounded. It made sense, but she didn’t like the fact that her kwami kept a secret from her. On the other hand, Marinette was currently withholding the whole truth about what happened last night. Guiltily, she chose to just change the subject. “It doesn’t matter, I guess. As long as I don’t know, and he doesn’t.”

“Yeah, but you’ve got to be more careful. If Plagg hadn’t woken me up, I could’ve been spotted by Chat. You got lucky that we knew.”

Marinette sighed. “You’re right Tikki. You’re always right. But now, we still have an akumatized villain out there. I have to meet Chat at the Eiffel Tower at 9, and since he’s currently in my room, I need to make sure I leave way before him. We have a lot to talk about.” She had changed her clothes while talking. Leaving her clothes in the laundry hamper in the bathroom, she went to the kitchen and grabbed something quick for breakfast. Before she returned to her room, she put a muffin on a small plate and poured a glass of milk for Chat Noir. When she ducked down to put the meal next to him, she noticed the leg of a pair of blue jeans peeking out from under the lounge.  _ Chat’s civilian clothes…  _ She quickly averted her gaze. Looking would be too much of a risk. What if she knew him? She might recognize the clothes and then she’d know who her partner was. She’d know who kissed her…

Not letting herself go there, she carefully crept out of her rooftop trapdoor and transformed, heading for the Eiffel Tower. 

About 30 minutes later, Chat Noir landed next to her. He let out a yawn and stretch before grinning at her. “Goodmorning, Milady!”

When she saw his face, she couldn’t help but giggle. “You’ve got a mustache.”

He wiggled his eyebrows. “I was wondering when you’d notice. Been growing it out for weeks now.”

She smirked and shook her head. “No, I mean a milk mustache. You’re such a typical kitty.” Reflexively, she wiped his upper lip with her thumb. When she realized what she’d done, she turned away with a blush. Out of the corner of her eyes she could still see his dumbfounded expression. “Sooo, where do you suggest we start?”

He cleared his throat. “Uhh, we could go talk to that Nino guy some more. He might know something more.”

“You might be right. It’s a start, at least. He’s our only solid witness at this point. You dropped him off last night, right? Think you can remember how to get there?”

Chat Noir nodded, putting on an awkward smile. Something was different with him this morning. She didn’t have time to think over the reasons. Ladybug gestured for him to lead the way, following close behind.

They landed in front of Nino’s house in no time. Chat walked up to the door to knock. The door unexpectedly opened with the simple gesture. It must have already been cracked when they got there. The heroes exchanged a look. “Did you get an akuma alert?” he asked.

“No, this might be new. Keep your voice down and follow me.” She carefully opened the door and stepped into the house. Like cops in some crime drama, they checked each room individually before clearing the first floor. They then traveled up the stairs. They had almost made it to the top when suddenly a stray floorboard creaked. Ladybug cringed and held her breath. 

It was too late. They heard a window shatter followed by a scream. Throwing caution to the wind, the pair sprinted to the source of the noise. Inside the room was a disaster. It seemed that Cajoler was leaving more and more destruction in his wake with each new abduction. Nino was nowhere to be seen. But the scream was undeniably female. Hoping she was wrong, she called out. “Alya? Are you there?”

A small noise came from behind a nearby dresser. Ladybug walked over and found Alya hiding with her phone clutched to her chest. Her normal confident demeanor was replaced by fear. Ladybug sat beside her and pulled her best friend in for a hug. “What happened, Alya?”

Chat Noir looked over with wide eyes, but Ladybug waved him off, instructing him to look for clues in the rest of the room. Alya’s voice wavered as she told her story. “I was just spending the morning with my boyfriend playing some video games, when all of a sudden he heard a noise. Nino pushed me behind this dresser and told me to stay here no matter what. The reporter in me just instinctively pulled out my phone to record. It’s not the greatest angle, but here. See for yourself.” Alya handed the phone to her hero. Ladybug called Chat Noir over so they could watch the video together. Once he was settled, she pressed play. 

On the screen, they watched the following events take place. Nino grabbed a baseball bat and braced himself for attack. The door opened with a slow creak. The boy backed up slowly, trying to draw his attacker further into the room. Once he had a clear range of motion, Nino went on the offense, managing to get a couple hits near Cajoler. When he got tired of playing with his prey, the akumatized villain grabbed the baseball bat and snapped it in half with one fist. Nino fell back in shock. There was nothing else to do. Cajoler picked the teen up by his throat, holding him so high that his feet dangled helplessly. You could faintly hear the sound of a floorboard creak in the background. This snapped Cajoler out of his trance, and he threw the boy over his shoulder before exiting the frame of the camera. The sound of a shattering window and a piercing scream was the last thing before the video cut off. 

Chat Noir abruptly stood up and walked across the room, punching the wall in anger. Alya and Ladybug gasped at the hole he left in the shape of his fist. They had never seen this side of Chat before. Something was really wrong. Ladybug got to her feet and walked toward him with caution. He was breathing heavy with his eyes closed and teeth clenched. She tenderly rested a hand on his upper back. “Are you okay, Chat?”

He shook his head. “This doesn’t make any sense. Why Nino? Of all people? Chloe and Adrien made sense. They’re famous and would make a statement in the news if they went missing. But Nino… he’s just a regular guy. He didn’t deserve this. I don’t understand.” Chat leaned forward to rest his forehead against the wall with his arms supporting him on either side. She could tell that he needed a moment to collect his thoughts, so she patted his back before walking back to Alya. 

“Chat Noir is right. Do you have any idea why your boyfriend would be targeted?” Ladybug reached out her hand to help Alya to her feet.

Alya accepted. “No clue, Ladybug. The only connection he has is that he is Adrien’s best friend and he witnessed the events last night.”

The superheroine nodded. “Alright. You’ve been incredibly helpful, Alya, but I have a favor to ask of you. Can you refrain from posting this video on the LadyBlog? I want Cajoler to think he’s a step ahead of us. Give him a false sense of security. Maybe he’ll slip up, who knows. But just for now, don’t report on this akuma attack. For all we know, he didn’t even know you were there. We need to keep you safe.”

The redhead nodded eagerly. “You got it, Ladybug!”

“Thanks, Alya. Is there someone who can be with you today so you’re not alone?”

“I’m sure my girl Marinette would be down to hang out. She’s probably out of her mind worrying over Adrien, so we’d have something in common. I won’t let you down.”

Ladybug smiled at her brave friend. Alya was so selfless. She just wanted to do what was best for Paris and was always eager to help. She watched as Alya took out her phone again to text Marinette. That meant her civilian self would be requested soon. Time to wrap this up. She walked over to Chat Noir. “Hey Kitty, what do you-”

He pulled away and cut her off. “I’m going on patrol. I need to catch this SOB.” He jumped out of the window before Ladybug had a chance to protest. She helplessly looked after her partner. None of this made any sense, least of all his reactions. He seemed to be taking this whole thing personally. Maybe it had something to do with his home life and not this particular villain. He had spent the night at Marinette’s house instead of going home. There had to be a reason.

Alya’s voice startled her out of her thoughts. “Wow… do you have any clue what that was about?”

Ladybug looked down and shook her head silently. There wasn’t time to think about it anymore. She needed to get Alya home and then join her as Marinette. Making sure she had a tight grip on her friend, Ladybug followed Chat Noir out the window.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course, we know what's wrong with Chat Noir, but can you imagine Ladybugs confusion and concern? Their next meeting will most certainly be an interesting one... ;)


	6. The Photograph

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Giggles can become so much more if you're not careful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally getting into the groove of things here. I'm thinking there's going to be at least 5 more chapters after this, but let me know if y'all want more!

**Chapter 6: The Photograph**

About an hour after Ladybug dropped Alya off at her house, Marinette showed up. Instantly she was assaulted with a running hug from her best friend. Alya held her tighter than usual, but otherwise she seemed perfectly normal. Marinette pulled away, gripping her friends upper arms to keep the semblance of a hug. “Alya, are you okay? Your text said that something happened to Nino. But you seem… fine?”

Alya smiled at her friend. “Yeah Girl, I’m totally okay! I mean, I’m worried about Nino. The latest akuma took him this morning and I saw the whole thing. I even have the craziest video of the attack! But now that I’m home, I’m calm.”

“R-really? I’m going crazy with worry over Adrien!”

“Aww, Mari, come here,” Alya pulled her friend back in for a side hug as she escorted her to the living room. Marinette was fighting back tears, but kept them at bay because if her best friend could be strong, so could she.  _ But how is she so calm? _

“I know I should be freaking out right now, but I’m not actually worried. I trust Ladybug and Chat Noir to save the day. They always do. So to me, there is no fear. Only a calm hope.”

Marinette was touched that Alya believed in Ladybug so much, but she always had reason to doubt herself. Her crippling lack of self-confidence has been a big challenge of their friendship. Alya was always so supportive, pushing her into situations that require her to be confident. Marinette was forever grateful for that. 

_ How did I get so lucky to have two amazing best friends? _

She blushed at the thought. Of course Chat Noir was her best friend as Ladybug. He was her partner from day one. But as Marinette… that situation was suddenly complicated. She groaned and buried her face in her hands. There was only one person she could talk to about these emotions, albeit with a few alterations. Time to confess. “Alya, something else happened last night…” she began speaking into her hands.

“Girl, I could tell that something was different with you. C’mon, spill.” Alya pulled her to sit on the couch with her, bobbing eagerly. 

Marinette peaked through her fingers at her friends wide eyes and mischievous smile. “I, umm, I mean technically he, uhhh, he k-kissed me.” She pulled her knees to her chest and held herself together, head hiding away like a turtle in a shell. This was the same position she’d gotten in after the kiss. 

“Oh my god, Marinette! Adrien finally kissed you?!?”

She raised her head slightly to see the excited redhead. “N-no, it wasn’t Adrien.”

Now Alya just looked confused. “Then who??” Marinette mumbled the answer, causing Alya to shake her with insistence. “Girl, who kissed you?!”

Sigh. “C-chat N-noir…”

The following silence was deafening.

After a minute, Alya finally collected her questions together. “Hold on, back up. Since when were you and Chat Noir close? How did this happen? Did he just trip and accidentally kiss your lips, or was it intentional? When even did this happen? And where? I have so many questions!”

Marinette did her best to answer the questions in order, raising her head fully to be heard. “Well, Chat and I have kinda been friends for a while now. He comes to visit when he’s bored. I really don’t know how it happened. No, he didn’t trip. I’m pretty sure it was intentional. And it happened around 3 am I guess? I couldn’t see the clock from my loft so-”

“SHUT UP!!! You’re telling me that you had a superhero in your bed in the middle of the night for a makeout session?!” The reporter in her was buzzing with excitement on this scoop.

“No!! That wasn’t the plan at all!” Another sigh.  _ Just tell her everything you can.  _ “Chat Noir came to my balcony last night. He said he couldn’t go home for some reason, so he just planned to sleep on my balcony. I, uhhh,” her blush deepened. “I told him he could sleep on the chaise in my room instead.”

Alya’s look was scrutinous. “How did he end up in your bed, then?”

Marinette bit her lip. “Well, I had a nightmare. I guess it woke him up, because when I woke up he was holding me and telling me everything would be alright. He asked what the nightmare was about, which led to me confessing my love for Adrien. I don’t know why, but the next thing I knew, Chat Noir’s hand was behind my head pulling me in for a kiss.”

The reporters eyebrows wiggled suggestively. “How was the kiss?”

“U-uuuhhhh, it was n-nice, I guess?” Marinette scratched the back of her head in an awkward attempt to hide the truth. Honestly, it had felt incredible. There was so much passion and intent behind it, like Chat was putting his whole heart into that moment. His lips were so soft and warm and gentle and….

“Okay, so are you two a thing now?” Alya’s question snapped her out of her thoughts.

“No! No, nothing like that. I pulled away and he apologized.” She tried to ignore the disappointed look in Alya’s eyes. “We just changed the subject and after I felt better, he went back down to the chaise. I left before he woke up this morning so we haven’t even talked since.” Marinette chuckled awkwardly. No way that she was telling Alya how cute Chat looked in his sleep. 

Alya shook her head. “I’m still so confused, but I’m happy for you. Maybe this could be a nice change of pace from Adrien. Or at the very least, the proper push you need to confess your feelings to him.” Alya gasped and smiled mischievously. “How crazy would it be if Adrien turned out to be Chat Noir?”

Marinette’s blush reached a ridiculous new level. “WHAT?!”

Her bestie burst out in laughter. “Girl, I’m just kidding! But you should see the look on your face right now!” Marinette smiled with embarrassment before joining her friend in a giggle fit. They kept tossing jokes and teases back and forth, reigniting the laughter when it threatened to lull. This is exactly what Marinette needed. She knew Alya would make her feel better and less awkward about the whole situation. Her best friend never let her down before.  _ Now I need to return the favor. I can’t let her down. I have to do everything I can to save Nino.  _

After one particularly lame joke, their laughter reached an all time high. The girls had fallen to the ground with uncontrollable amusement. Tears started pouring out and suddenly something felt very wrong. Their chuckles turned to coughs and wheezes as they struggled to breathe. Marinette rolled over to look around, finding it hard to see through the increasing dizziness. She barely caught a glimpse of thick dark fog across the room before her vision was overtaken by darkness.

Marinette was very faint when she woke up. Her eyes blinked open painfully as she grew aware of her surroundings. She was now sitting up in a dining room chair across the room from where the girls had just been laughing. Beside her was Alya, looking at her friend with equal panic. They were bound to the chairs, completely immobile, and their mouths were taped shut. When she attempted to scream, an icy cold washed over her. A new laughter was heard in the room, a dark and haunting laugh, coming from behind the girls. “Just in time. Now we can finally get started.” Cajoler silently passed between them. His presence made the tip of Marinette’s nose burn with the cold. Matching glares of hatred were shot his way by the girls, but no expression could be seen in his ambiguous lack of a face. She could only imagine the smug look. 

Something in his hand stood out against the blackness. Alya’s phone. He raised the camera and started to record what could only be described as a villains monologue. “Ladybug and Chat Noir, you have disappointed me. I wanted the world to see what you were up against, but you told this journalist not to share the video I made. The citizens of Paris deserve to know how much danger they all are in. I’m not like anyone you’ve faced before. I’m not distracted by petty personal motivations. My only goal is retrieving the miraculous from you sorry excuses for superheroes. And I don’t care how many people I have to hurt along the way. So far, all of my victims are still alive. I can’t guarantee for how much longer. Every minute you waste brings me closer to killing them, one by one. Either bring me your miraculous, or prepare for all of Paris to turn against you. And just to show you how serious I am,” he turned the camera to show the girls, “I’m going to kill one of them, right here and now. Are you going to come and save your girlfriend?” Cajoler held up a printed photocopy to the camera. Marinette couldn’t see what it was, but somehow knew it was her that he was talking about. When he moved the photograph out of the way, he walked in between the girls, pushing the camera in each of their faces to display their fear. Alya somehow managed to look brave and furious, while Marinette’s eyes were horrified by what Cajoler was threatening. He then turned the camera on something behind them on the dining room table, outside of their field of view. He continued speaking. “Once I upload this video to the Ladyblog, along with the earlier one of my abducting that naive DJ, I’ll start this timer. You’ll have 3 minutes to save her. I doubt you will succeed. But then you’ll know from that point on, you’ll have 3 days to bring me your miraculous. I won’t stop my destruction until time runs out. At which point, I won’t hesitate to livestream the murders of Chloe Bourgeois, Adrien Agreste, Nino Lahiffe, Alya Cesaire, and whomever else I take before then. How would you explain their blood on your hands to the citizens of your beloved Paris? The clock is ticking. Make the right choice.” 

The familiar beep as the video stopped recording gave Marinette renewed shivers. Cajoler walked around to face her, getting dangerously close to her face. He held up the picture for her to see, but her eyes were too focused in horror on the empty holes of light where his eyes should be. The dark laugh returned as he ripped the photograph in half and dropped the two halves to the ground. A sound of a successful upload sealed Marinette’s fate. She closed her eyes in agony. The next sound would haunt her for the rest of her life. To think that the last sound she would hear is the ticking of a bomb. It was unfathomable. She heard Alya struggle next to her, and turned to see Cajoler holding a rag to her mouth with force as he unbound her from the chair. He then tossed her over his shoulder and walked out the front door. 

Marinette was left behind, too helpless to even call upon Tikki, as she heard the rhythm of death behind her. The clock ticked down. She closed her eyes and began to cry. 

Tick…tick...tick…tick...

How could this have happened? After all this time, Hawk Moth was finally going to win. 

Tick...tick…tick...

Would her death be all for nothing though, since she wasn’t even transformed? He couldn’t succeed without her earrings. The thought calmed her.

Tick…tick...

_ I’m sorry, Mom and Dad. I’m sorry everyone. _

Tick…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you guys think the photograph was?? The next chapter is in Adrien/Chat's perspective, so I guess we'll see!


	7. The Backpack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir becomes very protective.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter was so delayed! My boyfriend just got home for spring break, so I've been spending more time with him and less time writing. But luckily, he first fell in love with me as a writer 10 years ago, so it makes him happy to see me writing again. I couldn't have gotten this far without his support. Anyways, enjoy!

**Chapter 7: The Backpack**

Tick…

Chat Noirs stomach dropped when he saw the Akuma alert. There was a video with the post, but he had no time. He had to get to Cajoler.

Tick…tick…

The alert said the Akuma was at Alya’s house. That’s where Marinette was. Nothing else mattered right now except saving her.

Tick...tick...tick…

He had never run faster in his life. He kicked his way through the front door and ran up the stairs.  _ I hope he’s still here so I can kick his ass. _

Tick...tick...tick...tick…

He rounded the corner and saw a sight that made his stomach drop. Marinette was tied to a chair and weeping. Chat ran to her side and sliced the ropes with his claws. That’s when he finally heard it.

Tick…

There was a bomb. Of course this whole thing was an elaborate trap. But with only 10 seconds left, he wasn’t going to stick around to gather clues. He grabbed Marinette in his arms and ran for the window, breaking it in advance with his staff. They jumped through onto the street right as the bomb went off. Heat chased them and the shockwave sent Chat off balance. He held her closer as he made a hard landing and ran to duck behind a car. Debris showered over them, but the car shielded them from the majority of it. Even though his ears were ringing, he still could feel Marinette shaking with sobs in his grasp. He gently removed the tape from her mouth and pulled her to his chest for a hug. The kiss to her forehead was a reflex. 

Once the debris had stopped, Chat cradled the girl in his arms to survey the damage. Alya’s house was a burning mess now. All the windows were blown out and he could see straight in a giant hole to what used to be the living area. Where Marinette had been just moments before. The thought made him sick to his stomach. He needed to get her away from here. He used his staff to travel across the city to Marinette’s house, setting her down gently once they reached the balcony. 

She was no longer crying. Instead, a horrified look of realization flashed across her face. “The video… oh god, my parents are probably going crazy with worry right now! I need to make sure they know I’m alive. I’ll be right back!” 

Chat watched her run to the trap door and practically throw herself into the room. He wanted to be amused at her cute frantics, but he wished he knew what it felt like to have a worried parent. He hasn’t gotten any word from his father since he was “abducted” last night. 

Instead of letting himself wallow in self-pity, he chose to use this time constructively by actually looking at the akuma alert. Marinette had mentioned a video. Did Alya post the one from Nino’s room earlier? But why would that worry Marinette’s parents? He got his answer when he saw the thumbnail of the video that was posted with the alert. It featured Marinette, bound up, with the bomb behind her. His jaw clenched with anger as he clicked play, unaware that his anger could only grow from here. One thing early on stood out in particular: “...you told this journalist not to share the video I made…” How did he know we told her that? In fact, there were a lot of things Cajoler shouldn’t have known that he somehow does. Like how did he know Nino saw his second attack?

The answer gave him goosebumps. A simple photograph was now in frame. It could be a cute snapshot if in different circumstances. It featured a moment from last night, when Marinette caught his tail and was smiling at him from the trapdoor.  _ He’s spying on us. She’s not safe here anymore.  _

Finishing out the rest of the video was numb to him by this point. The threat of murder didn’t phase him. All he could see was red rage. He was tired of inaction. This akuma needed to go so Marinette was no longer in danger or fear. He never wanted to see again the terrified look in her eyes that was now frozen on his staffs’ screen. 

Nothing else mattered. 

His unspoken promise last night haunted his thoughts.  _ I’d risk all my 9 lives if it meant I got to see you smile again.  _ Would this actually be the time to prove that?

New goal: get Marinette somewhere safe. Then connect with Ladybug to hunt down Cajolers location. But no matter what, don’t leave Marinette’s side. He finally understood the pattern. This villain was purposely leaving behind witnesses to transmit the information. Then he’d go back and get the witness. If he knew Marinette was alive, then she’d be next on his list. He needed to keep Cajoler oblivious. Which meant they should not be at her house anymore…

He made a mad dash downstairs to find her. She was buried in her parents arms, tears of relief streaking the families faces. The moment was heartwarming, so he hated to bring it to an end. But he had to do what must be done. “Marinette, you’re not safe here. Somehow, Cajoler is watching. I need to take you away to a place he’ll never find you. Mr and Mrs Dupain-Cheng, I need you to trust me. No harm will come to your daughter as long as I’m around.”

Her dad nodded solemnly. “I understand. Marinette, go pack a bag.” She looked nervous, but complied. Once she was out of the room, Mr. Dupain-Cheng walked over to Chat Noir and put a hand on his shoulder. “I don’t know how any of this makes sense, but I couldn’t ask for anyone better to protect my little girl. Keep her safe, Adrien.”

Chat Noir's jaw dropped in shock. “Uhhh, excuse me?” Marinette’s dad moved out of the way to show her mom holding his washed clothes from yesterday. The ones he had left under the chaise in his rush to get to Ladybug this morning. She walked up to hand them to him and closed his mouth with a gentle nudge of the chin. 

“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with us. If anything, it just makes us all the more happy to know it’s you. After all this time. Does she know?” He shook his head. “Well, I’m sure that’ll be a fun conversation for another day.” She chuckled knowingly, like there was something else she knew. But there was no time for questions. She tucked the clothes inside a backpack and moved to the kitchen to pack some food, leaving Chat to stand there in astonishment. 

Marinette came back down the ladder and walked over to Chat. Her hand on his arm made him jump. He laughed nervously. Surprisingly, he didn’t feel scared for Marinette to possibly know his identity anymore. The only thing holding him back was his promise to Ladybug. She didn’t need to know that he’d been found out by one mistake and two amazing parents. 

Mrs. Dupain-Cheng came back to them and handed Chat the backpack, now overloaded with food. She gave them both a tight hug, which Marinette’s dad mirrored from behind. They were an odd hug sandwich, but it felt good to be a part of something like this. A real family. 

He indulged in the hug for only a few moments longer before breaking Marinette out. Luckily he had the perfect place to take her. She said her goodbyes to her parents and they went downstairs to the front door. He glanced back to see the Dupain-Chengs smiling as they waved, and even caught a wink from her dad. 

_ I promise I’ll keep her safe. _

Chat Noir made sure they took only back alleyways to get where they needed to go. The less rooftop travel he did, the less likely they’d be followed. It took them nearly an hour to get there, but finally they stood across the street, looking up at the Grand Paris Hotel.

Marinette was clearly confused. “Wh-why are we here? Isn’t this where it all started?”

Good point. “Exactly. He wouldn’t think we’d come back here, right?” He hoped she’d buy that excuse. Truthfully, he remembered something else from that day. He had a room reserved here for Felix, courtesy of Chloe. That should be the perfect place for a hero and his damsel to hide out. Surprisingly, even though it was almost midnight on a Saturday in Paris, no one was out and about. The video from Cajoler had taken effect. The people of Paris were terrified of this new danger and barricading themselves inside. It was convenient for instances like this, where he needed to cross the street undetected. He tucked Marinette under his arm and escorted her across the street, not pausing until they were inside the hotel Lobby. He then ushered her towards a bathroom. “I know I said I wouldn’t leave you, but I need to go get the key to the hotel room. I have to detransform. Lock yourself in a stall and I’ll be right back. Okay?” She nodded bravely. He couldn’t hold himself back from kissing her forehead quickly before pushing her into the room and closing the door. He then went to the mens room so he could be out of view of prying eyes. “Plagg, claws in.”

The feeling of the suit leaving his skin after nearly all day was exhausting in itself. Plagg dramatically landed on top of his hair with a loud yawn. “Kid, you’re too much. You do know I’m millions of years old, right? I should be retired already with all this mistreatment.”

Adrien reached up to scratch the top of the cat kwami’s head. “I’m sorry, but it’s only going to get worse from here. The akuma’s still out there. And as far as everyone in Paris is concerned, Adrien Agreste has been kidnapped.” He slipped the mask Marinette had given him off his face and put it in the pocket of the tracksuit. 

“Well then who are you supposed to be, kid?” Plagg flew down to accept the piece of cheese that he now had outstretched from the backpack Marinette’s mom had packed them. She had thought of everything.

“Me? I’m Felix Graham de Vanily.” Adrien put on a smug look and held open the backpack for Plagg to hide in. He groaned, but obliged. The blonde put the straps over his shoulder and took a deep breath. “This better work.”

He walked straight to the front desk and rang the bell. “Excuse me, I have a reservation.” 

Chloe’s butler turned to look at him in surprise. “Mr. Agreste? I thought you-”

“I’m his cousin, Felix. Chloe said you got a room booked for me. Hurry, I don’t have all night.” Adrien hated acting like this, but in order to sell the plan, he needed to act like a snobbish jerk. Luckily, no more questions were asked. After a few strokes on the keyboard, Butler Jean handed him a room key with instructions. 

“Enjoy your stay, Monsieur... Felix.”

Adrien nodded curtly and snatched the key away. He casually tossed it in the air to catch it while whistling. Hopefully, this cocky nonchalance would be enough. He rounded the corner to the bathrooms and knocked on the womens door. “Princess? We’re all set. But I need you to avoid looking at me until we get to the elevator and I can safely put the mask back on.”

The door opened slowly, revealing a girl with her hands over her eyes. He smirked at how cute she was being. Adrien positioned himself behind her so they could walk together, but she wouldn’t see. “You can remove your hands. Just look straight forward. Act casual.” 

Her “casual” walk was even cuter. She was stiff as a statue as she tried acting natural. It reminded him of Marinette around Adrien; clumsy and bumbling, but still adorably funny. Every moment spent with her, he found new reasons to love her. 

They almost made it to the elevators. Almost. A few feet away, Marinette lost her footing. Adrien managed to catch her, but now she was draped over his knee, with his arms holding her steady. Somehow she managed to close her eyes. However, holding her close like this was having a crazy effect on Adrien. He was close enough to count the individual freckles on her beet-red cheeks. A large part of him wanted to kiss her. But another part had an even crazier idea. “Marinette, is it crazy that I want you to open your eyes?”

She didn’t answer him with words. Instead, she reached up and pulled his face the full way towards hers, meeting his lips with hesitation. Her kiss was cautious and questioning, like she wasn’t sure if she should be doing this. But as soon as she felt him return the pressure, the doubt vanished. Adrien felt exhilarated by her fingers locking in his hair and the way their noses brushed with each new angle. This kiss was more than before. This time,  _ she  _ was kissing  _ him.  _ His hands tightened on her waist so he could place her on his knee, since he was still down on one knee. She made an adorable surprised hum, causing him to break away for a laugh. The distance between them remained slim, with their foreheads pressed together as they caught their breaths. Adrien was a little disappointed that her eyes remained closed, but nothing could truly dampen his mood at this point. He was on cloud nine. 

Finally, she sighed happily. “Chat, I wish I could. But I can’t put you in danger by knowing your identity.” He growled as he held her close and brought them back to their feet. She was right, of course, but the anonymity was driving him crazy. Her giggle calmed him immediately. “It’ll be okay, Kitty.” She leaned forward to nuzzle his nose with hers. Then she grabbed his hand in hers and turned away, finally opening her eyes to walk the remainder of the distance to the elevator. 

They waited in comfortable silence for the arrival, and then as soon as they were inside and the doors were closed, he reluctantly let go of her hand to put on the mask. One it was secure, he took her hand again, this time interlocking their fingers, and gave it a squeeze. He used his free hand to gently turn her face toward him. “It’s safe to look,” he assured her. The sight of her blue eyes fluttering open made him weak. 

Marinette probably caught the look of adoration in his eyes, so she blushed like mad again. “I guess we have some things to talk about…”

The elevator doors opening interrupted their thoughts. Chat Noir was smiling as he led his Princess to their temporary castle, already excited for what the future held. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't actually plan for Mari's parents to find out about Chat's identity, but it kinda just felt right. I've always supported the theory that her parents know she's Ladybug, but they just are good enough parents to trust her and respect her privacy. Knowing who Chat is too would make them more comfortable letting their daughter go. 
> 
> I'm super excited to write the next chapter, tbh. I love Marichat so much. I hope you are all enjoying this as much as I am. Thank you again.


	8. Nightclothes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette and Chat Noir get to know each other a little better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm sorry this chapter took so long! I kept on changing things in it, going back and forth, needing to get it right. Plus it's a little longer. But I appreciate everyone for sticking around! A lot of different thing's influenced me for this chapter, so check the end notes if you're interested. Enjoy!

**Chapter 8: Nightclothes**

Chat Noir was not as prepared for their talk as he expected.

In his mind, they would just go into the room and sit on the couch to talk things over. Discuss what the kiss meant. Maybe kiss more. But he should have expected that Marinette would have other questions for him.

As soon as she walked in the room, her hands flew to cover her mouth. He peeked over her shoulder to see her eyes were wide in bewilderment. “How on earth did you manage to get this room?!”

Right. Chat Noir doesn’t usually have this kind of sway. Especially considering this was the penthouse suite, usually reserved for celebrities.  _ Think, Adrien…  _ “It was uhhhh, a favor from the mayor! For all the good work Ladybug and I do.”  _ Please buy that lame excuse.  _

Marinette’s raised eyebrows assured him that she was smarter than that. “Chat, you had to take off the mask to get the room. Unless the mayor knows your identity…”

“Gah, you’ve got a point there. Honestly, though I hate keeping secrets from you, this is just something you’re going to have to trust me on.” Chat was holding himself awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. This plan might not have been entirely thought through. He was just so desperate to protect Marinette that he didn’t think. 

The girl spun in a slow circle, taking in the surroundings. When her eyes landed on his, she blushed. “I just don’t want you to spend this kind of money on me.” Her voice was so meek and cute that he just had to walk over and take her hands.

“Marinette, I promise you that I am not paying a single penny for this room. Though it would be absolutely worth it for you, Princess.” He was pleased to see a smile return to her face, even though it was accompanied by an eye roll. Taking that as an end to that topic, he kept a hold of her hand to lead her to the massive circular couch. Once they were seated, he began with a smile. “So, you said we have some things to discuss?” 

She bit her lip as she searched for the words. “Chat, that kiss was…”

“Incredible?”

“Confusing.” She looked down, unable to see the smile vanish from his face. “I just don’t know how it happened. Just like the kiss last night. I mean, I had just told you that I was in love with Adrien! Usually when a girl confesses her love for another boy, the first one doesn’t kiss her. Besides, aren’t you in love with Ladybug?”

He sighed once the words finished falling from her mouth. “Yeah… that’s a little complicated as of late.” Chat knew he needed to find a way to excuse his actions that didn’t sound like he was Adrien. “I guess I just was so enamored with the way you talked about the guy you loved that I had an irresistible urge to feel that kind of love. Ladybug hasn’t given me any hint that she’s returned my affections, even after years of trying and countless proclamations on my part. But you, Princess… you’ve always been there when I’m down. You don’t hesitate to invite me into your home, you don’t even seem to mind when I show up on a whim just to talk. I suddenly realized how incredible you are, last night, when I saw the fire in your eyes defending him. I think when he finds out how you feel, he’s going to feel like an idiot for not seeing you sooner. Just like I did.” 

Her face was flushed. “What really do you know about me, Chaton?”

He chuckled and looked across the room in thought. “I know you’re an amazing fashion designer. I know you are fiercely loyal to your friends, even at your own risk. I know you don’t believe in yourself as much as you should. You love video games and dancing and hamsters. You have a wonderful family. You hate horror movies and liars. You’re incredibly sma-”

“How did you know that?” She cut him off before he could continue.

Chat worked back through his words trying to figure out what she meant. “Which part?”

“That I hate horror movies. I don’t remember telling you that.” 

Right. He knew that from being Adrien, not Chat. They had a brief movie date before Gorizilla attacked, where she told him. “Uhh, I noticed none of your movies at home are horror. I assumed that meant you didn’t like them. Was I right?”

She looked at him through slitted eyes, still skeptical. “Yeah, you were. I’m learning a lot about how observant you are, I guess.”

He smiled at her, hoping to assuage her concerns. He had his own question to change the subject. “So you now know why I kissed you. But the kiss in the lobby was all you. What do you have to say for that?”

Immediately, all skepticism disappeared from her face, to be replaced with a rosy blush. “Umm, I p-panicked?”

“You don’t sound convinced.”

Marinette sighed over her embarrassment. “I’m not. Can I think about it and get back to you?”

Chat smirked. She was so cute. “I suppose you gave me the time to think it over.” He reached forward and took her chin in his fingertips, leaning close. “Maybe you need a reminder to hold onto while you think…” Chat Noir watched as her eyes fluttered closed and she leaned into him, pursing her lips. He closed his eyes and slowly closed the distance between then. 

Something felt different about her lips. He peaked open his eyes and found that she had put her fingertips between them. Marinette wasn’t moving away though. He could feel the hair of her bangs brushing his forehead and could feel her heavy breath through her hand. He was mesmerized by the freckles that dotted her cheeks. He wanted nothing more than to kiss her indefinitely, but one thing stood in their way. “Kitty, I can’t.” Chat was sure she could feel the way his lips changed to a pout. Her eyes opened, deep blue oceans that he just wanted to swim in. They were searching his face now.  _ Yes Marinette, it’s me. I want you to see me for who I really am.  _ “Can we just start over? If I’m going to get answers, I need to know more about  _ you _ as a person. And from what I can tell, we’ve got all night.”

He was reluctant to agree, but an idea formed in his head. Maybe if she got to know him better, she would be able to figure out who he was. Then he wouldn’t have told her or revealed himself. She would just know. The thought filled him with hope. “I would love that, Princess.” 

She sighed in relief. After a few more moments looking deep into each-other’s eyes, she closed hers and broke away from the intimate moment. “I-I cheed to go nange. Err, need to go change. Clothes.” Marinette looked started by her word mix-up, and quickly got up from the couch. His eyes followed her across the room until she walked around the corner into the bedroom. 

Something caught his eyes on the trip around the room with her, and he backtracked until he saw it again. A grand piano sat in the corner of the room, illuminated by the moonlight coming through the balcony doors. And there was a vase on top with a singular rose. Very romantic. Time to begin dropping hints. He crossed the room and pulled the bench out to sit, stroking the ivory with excitement. A song came from his memory and translated onto the keys. Chat closed his eyes, breathing in the music and humming with anticipation. He was so lost in the song that he didn’t even notice Marinette walking up behind him. Then again, she was so hypnotized by the melody that she moved slowly enough to be silent. After a few blissful moments of awe, Chat slowed down the tempo and brought the song to a close. His hands lingered in the air a few inches from the keys as the final note resonated in the air. Eyes closed, he let out a breath. 

So did the girl behind him. “That was incredible,” Marinette spoke, hardly above a whisper. Chat turned to smile bashfully at her, but instead became overcome by a blush. She was wearing a cute matching set of silk pink shorts and a button up shirt for nightclothes, and her hair was loosely tousled around her face. The girl was undeniably beautiful. Their jaws were mirrored in their drop, but for two different reasons. Finally, she caught his eyes caressing her. “Kitty!” she yelped scoldingly. 

The look in her eyes was familiar, and something occurred to him. “You know, only Ladybug has ever called me Kitty.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh… I’m sorry. I can stop if you want.”

He shook his head and reached out his hand, inviting her to join him on the piano bench. “Don’t stop. I think it’s cute.”

She lowered her head so her hair dropped to cover the smile on her face. “So, what was that song called?”

“Marinette.”

“No, seriously,” she looked back up into his amused eyes. 

He couldn’t contain his heartfelt grin. “It’s called ‘Sweet Innocence’, but I think Marinette is a good alternative name for it. After all, you are sweet and innocent. I don’t think you could even hurt a fly if you tried.”

A grumpy pout instantly transformed her face. “I can be tough when I need to be. There’s plenty you still don’t know about me.”

“Oh really?” Chat raised his eyebrows inquisitively. 

“I’ll prove it,” she got back up from the bench and got into a fight-ready position. Chat leaned back on the piano with a smirk, gesturing for her to continue. She paused to think. Next to her was a chaise with a small throw pillow. Marinette grabbed the pillow and handed it to Chat. “Throw this at me when I tell you to. Then I can prove my skills,” she said with a wink before returning to her battle pose and nodding to him. He teasingly fake-threw the pillow a couple times, chuckling when she groaned. Finally, he launched the pillow towards the stubborn girl a few feet in front of him. 

Admittedly, she did manage to kick the pillow back at him, proving her point that she did have good reflexes. However, her aim left something to be desired. The pillow flew to his left and struck the flower vase on the piano. Chat was immediately doused with water. Marinette looked embarrassed, but the blonde boy could no longer contain his laughter. An actual laugh, more than just the restrained chuckles he’d been giving. His eyes were closed and watering up as he held his stomach and tried to catch his breath between the elated chortles. One chance glance let him see Marinette holding her arms around herself and looking disappointed. He fought the laughter down and crossed the room to wrap her in a hug. “You are so adorable.”

“Shush,” she grumbled into his chest.

He pulled away and leaned down to be eye level with her. “Princess, I know you can be a badass when you need to be. I saw you as Multimouse. You saved the day when Ladybug and I were unable to. Not many people can say that,” he smiled reassuringly before turning back on the charm when a thought occurred to him. “I guess it was inevitable that the cat would end up chasing the mouse, huh?”

Marinette gently punched him in the shoulder. “Well now you’re a wet cat.”

Chat looked down at his tracksuit. Amazingly, only the jacket got the water treatment from her pillow experiment. He just shrugged and unzipped the jacket, slipping it off his shoulders and laying it across the piano bench to dry. Then he stood in front of her only wearing the pants and mask. Her eyes were giving him the same treatment he’d given her when he saw her nightclothes. Chat felt emboldened by the way she was biting her lip and analyzing his abs. The model in him struck a few exaggerated poses for her. “Like what you see, Marimouse?”

She suddenly became aware of what she had been doing. He watched her drop to a crouch and cover her flaming face with her hands.  _ I guess I need to put a shirt back on if I want her to return to normal.  _ Chat ruffled the hair on the top of her head as he passed her on his way to the bedroom. 

Fortune shined on him as he saw a green shirt laid out on the bed for him, as well as black basketball shorts. Marinette must’ve thought ahead enough to bring more nightclothes for him to sleep in. As he changed his clothes, something became increasingly obvious. 

There was only one bed in the suite.

Obviously, this meant Marinette would be sleeping in the bed and he would be on the couch. But his back ached at that thought and his mind didn’t want to be too far away from her, just in case. This was a problem.

He walked back toward the living room and leaned against the entryway. Marinette was sitting on the couch looking in her purse. It seemed like she was talking to herself. He’s seen her do that before while looking in her bag. It must be a nervous quirk. Char knocked his fist against the wall beside him gently to get her attention. 

Marinette jumped and practically threw the purse across the couch from her. “Oh, you’re back!” She yelped.

He gave her a crooked smile. “Thanks for the clothes again, Marimouse.” They both blushed at the nickname, remembering when he had first called her that a few short minutes ago. “Anyways, we do have a slight problem. How are we going to do the sleeping arrangements?”

She held her chin while her forehead wrinkled in thought. Marinette stood up and walked toward the bedroom. “We could share the bed with some minor alterations.” Reaching into the closet, she returned with a spare bedsheet. She then grabbed the ropes that were used to hold back the curtains around the doorway of the bedroom and tied them together. Chat looked on in amazement as she worked to tie up the bedsheet to where it split the room in half, effectively giving them each their own space. This creativity and ingenuity reminded him of Ladybug working with a lucky charm. 

He shook off the thought. Ladybug no longer had his heart. Well, maybe a small piece still, but for the most part he had given his heart to Marinette over the day. It was incredible how quickly his feelings had grown once he begrudgingly accepted that Ladybug only saw Adrien for his looks, while Marinette loved all the little things about him. All along she had been right in front of him and he had just been too blinded by Ladybug to see. 

She finished and turned to look at him with a triumphant smile. He had to resist going over to kiss her. That was  _ his _ brilliant beautiful girl. But not yet. “Wow Princess, you did a really good job.”

Marinette walked over to him and put her hand on his chest. “Bedtime, Kitty. It’s been a long day.” Without further adieu, she hesitantly kissed his cheek before going to her side of the curtain. Chat smiled wistfully and pressed his hand to his cheek to soak up the lingering feeling of her kiss. 

They both climbed into bed and turned off the lights. Chat Noir was on the side with the windows so he could keep a lookout in case something happened. Right away he knew he wasn’t going to get much sleep. Still, the bed was incredibly comfortable, so he would have a hard time keeping awake. His back was turned toward the curtain as he lay on his side and stared out at the stars. 

There was a rustling sound behind him and he felt a tap on his shoulder. “Hey Chat?” Marinette whispered through the curtain.

“Yes, Mari?”

“Can I hold your hand, until I fall asleep? I don’t want to feel alone.” The question was barely audible, but he obliged anyway, rolling onto his back so he could comfortably take her hand in his. He looked down at their fingers interlocked together, with only her hand coming underneath the blanket that divided the bed. He couldn’t see her face, but he squeezed her hand and just  _ knew  _ that she was smiling. Chat closed his eyes and imagined the future for them, once Cajoler was defeated and they could finally be together, as Marinette and Adrien. As Multimouse and Chat Noir. As Princess and Kitty. With thoughts as wonderful as those, he smiled and sank into the pillow. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so first off, d'awwww. 
> 
> Secondly, I love the feeling of going with my impulses on this. I did it last chapter with her parents knowing his identity, and then this chapter with the nickname Marimouse. It just felt right to me. I'm often scared to take risks, but sharing my writing here is a huge leap of faith, so I guess I'm emboldened by your support. <3
> 
> Thirdly, when I planned this chapter it was around two songs. One was the piano piece, which has been my favorite for years. I initially wanted Chat to be teaching her how to play the song, since realistically it is a duet if you listen close enough, but it was just too complex for a beginner and I felt it would ruin the moment. So I suspended disbelief to let him play the whole thing himself. If you're interested in hearing the song, it is called "Sweet Innocence" from the movie Jerk Theory. The second song inspired the carefree nature of new love, and mostly I kept the lyrics from the chorus on my mind:
> 
> "You and I are living in this dream tonight, and it’s just begun, open your eyes. With your hand in mine, we can touch the satellites, two stars on the run, don’t say goodnight."
> 
> I hope y'all are still liking the story! With everything happening in this pandemic, I might end up having more time than expected to write. But right now we're just living day after day, unsure what the future really holds. Stay safe, readers!


	9. A Towel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette as Ladybug only complicates her feelings more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to give a special shoutout to Serenagold for being a loyal commenter. Knowing that at least one person is still coming back to read is reassuring.

**Chapter 9: A Towel**

Early in the morning, Marinette woke up to feel the sun on her face. She slowly became aware of her surroundings without opening her eyes. The bed was extremely comfortable, albeit unfamiliar. For some reason her pillow seemed to be breathing…

Her eyes blinked open to reveal that she was curled up in Chat Noirs embrace, with her head in the crook of his shoulder. The makeshift divider she had created the night before had proven useless, as one of them must’ve pulled it down in their sleep. Chat was still fast asleep, and given that she was tightly enveloped in his arms and comfortable, she was complacent to stay. Marinette was soothed by his steady heartbeat against her ear. She felt so loved.

The thought instantly filled her with guilt.  _ No, I love Adrien. Kitty is just a friend, right?  _ Then again, Adrien had only ever called her a friend, and she knew how painful those words hit. But Chat Noir was open about seeing her as more. He had loved her all these years as Ladybug, and after seeing these more intimate and sensitive sides of him, she was intrigued as to who he really was under the mask. After all, he still managed to surprise her by playing the piano flawlessly. And the way kissing him made her feel was indescribable. Maybe she hadn’t given her partner enough credit. 

She knew she still needed to give him an answer as to why she had kissed him in front of the elevator last night. How does she tell her best friend that she thinks she’s falling in love with him? How does she explain that being in the same room as him suddenly drove her heart-rate crazy? How does she describe the way his touch fills her with electricity, or his eyes make her forget to breathe, or his kisses make her lose sight of everything else besides that moment? 

Wouldn’t it just be crazy ironic if he fell out of love with Ladybug right as she fell in love with him?

“Goodmorning beautiful,” his voice croaked from above her. She looked up to see that he was staring at her through heavy eyelids with a half-smile, still dazed from sleep. He didn’t seem too surprised by their current sleeping position. If anything, she felt him turn to pull her even closer. He nuzzled the top of her head with his nose and kissed her forehead gently, causing her heart to flutter. 

As content as she was to stay that way all day, a deep rumble from her empty stomach broke the comfortable silence. She instantly blushed while she felt the movement of his chest with his laughter. He gently sat up, placing her head on a pillow, and told her to stay put. Her eyes followed his slender figure as he crawled out of bed and walked into the living room. A few minutes later she heard the door to the suite open. Marinette tensed up, preparing for anything. But to her surprise and delight, it was only Chat Noir that came back into the bedroom, pushing a room service cart. It was towered high with breakfast foods. He pushed it to the side of the bed and held out a plate. “What can I get for my Princess?”

Her mouth watered over everything, and he took her contemplative face as an appropriate answer. Chat filled her plate with a little of everything, before placing it on a tray with a glass of orange juice. She gratefully accepted. “When did you have time to do this?”

He smiled as he filled up his own plate. “I woke up before you and put in the order on my phone. Your stomach was growling in your sleep.” 

She wanted to object, but conveniently for him, her mouth was full of sweet strawberries. So instead, she just gave him the stink eye, barely hiding her affection.

Chat took a long drink, peering at her over the rim of the glass. Afterwards, he swallowed again before speaking. “So, uhh, how did you sleep?” He looked nervous, like she might be upset by how they ended up. 

Marinette smiled to reassure him. “I slept great, actually! I’m not usually much of a morning person, to be honest, so being awake right now and in this good of a mood is a good sign.” She looked around the bed, feeling the sudden urge to check something. “What time is it anyways?”

He chuckled awkwardly. “Yeah, it’s not exactly morning anymore. It’s about two in the afternoon.”

“WHAT?!” Marinette was startled that she managed to sleep so long.

“I’m sorry, Princess, you just seemed so peaceful that I didn’t want to wake you. I slept in too, if that helps. I woke up about an hour ago, realized we had lost the barrier, ordered the food, and then just dozed off again.” Chat Noir was being defensive, but his blush kept him honest. 

She smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry too. I must’ve been a lot more tired than I thought. The akuma attack yesterday really wore me out.”

His face instantly went back to pale white. “Right, there’s still an akuma to fight. I need to see if I can get a hold of Ladybug. It’s really unlike her not to show up, like yesterday.”

He was right.  _ Crap, what excuse am I going to give?  _ She giggled nervously. “That’s a good point, Kitty. Why don’t you check up with her? I’m going to, uhh, take a shower? Thanks for breakfast!” Marinette quickly walked to the bathroom, leaning back on the door as soon as it closed. 

Tikki instantly flew up to her. “Marinette, what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know yet, but I’m thinking,” she crossed the oversized bathroom to turn on the shower, needing to sell her excuse. Before calling on her kwami to transform her, she gasped. “Oh Tikki, I completely forgot to bring you food! I’m the worst.”

Tikki nuzzled her cheek affectionately. “It’s okay, Chat’s kwami has been sneaking me snacks. Go ahead, I’m fully energized!”

Marinette sighed with relief. “Good. Okay Tikki, spots on!”

Five minutes later, Ladybug landed next to Chat Noir on the balcony of their hotel room. He had sent a message to her bugphone with the location, and after making sure the bathroom door was locked, the red heroine snuck out the window and around the block a bit before making her way to meet him. “Hey Kitty, what’s up?” The nickname felt weird coming from her now, after she had accidentally fallen into a pattern of calling him that as Marinette. But she couldn’t let him know that.

He glanced her way. “Hey LB, where have you been?” Chat was back in his full cat form, leaning his forearms on the railing of the balcony and staring out intently. She had a new appreciation for the way his suit hugged the curves of his toned figure. Biting back that thought and the accompanying blush, she recited her rehearsed excuse.

“Oh, you mean that Akuma attack yesterday at Alya’s house? I was on my way when I saw him escaping. I tried following him but he was just too fast. I don’t remember seeing you there, so I could ask the same thing.” She had rehearsed that speech while swinging around the nearby streets of Paris biding her time. The end was added so he wouldn’t be too suspicious. 

He still wouldn’t meet her eyes, but his shoulders stiffened defensively. “I was saving an innocent civilian. The girl in the video, remember?” His voice had a bite to it that she wasn’t expecting. 

Ladybug let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. “Oh, you saved her? When I saw the damage to the house, I feared the worst. I’m glad you got there in time. Good instincts, Kitty!” Maybe she was overdoing it a little. She closely monitored his face for any signs. All she could get was a deadpan expression from him. So far so good? “Cajoler’s been quiet today. I wonder what he’s planning next.”

Finally, her partner turned to look at her. “He’s going to come after Marinette. She’s the next witness. That’s why I’m doing everything possible to keep her safe.” His eyes were brimming with worry, an uncharacteristic look for him. “We need to figure out where he is so we can finally put this to an end, before anyone else gets hurt. I won’t let her get hurt,” he said through gritted teeth. Ladybug noticed that his fists were balled tightly at his sides now as he returned his gaze over the skyline of the city. 

She walked to his side and rested her hand reassuringly on his shoulder. “I agree. She is the next logical victim. You’re doing a good thing by protecting her.” Her pigtails bobbed as she tilted her head and gave him a smile. The tension in his shoulders slowly released. 

Chat Noir looked back at her with a face for strictly business. “I can’t leave her side, so I need you to do the outside research and scouting. We can text if there are any updates. He gave us a deadline of 3 days, one of which is already mostly gone. So by the end of tomorrow we need to find him. I don’t want to risk having less than a day to spare. This akuma is not one we can defeat on the fly. We need a plan, and a good one at that. There can be only one chance to get this right. There’s too much at stake.”

She hated seeing her partner so serious. No puns, no flirty jokes, not even calling her bugaboo like usual. The lack of those spoke to the gravity of the situation. But she couldn’t deny the truth in his words, so she nodded in agreement. “I’ll see what I can find out.” She’d have to find a way to sneak out that night to look, or something along those lines. Cajoler hadn’t really given them much to work with. Ladybug took a few steps away and prepared her yoyo to leave, but the look on her kitty’s face worried her. She turned back and reached for his hand. “Kitty, I don’t want to  _ bug  _ you, but if you really care about this girl, I know you’ll keep her safe. You’ve always kept me safe, right?” 

The pun in her words broke a smirk into his otherwise despondent face. “Thanks, LB. I know it’s sudden, but I can’t help myself from feeling this way.” He smiled fondly at the thought. “I think I’ll always love you, but I’ve come to realize that I was holding myself back from feeling things for other people because of my irrational expectation that you’d someday love me back. But my princess? She actually returns my affections. That feeling is just so overwhelming. It’s only natural that I’d fall in love with her.”

Ladybug blinked in shock.  _ Chat Noir loves me? I mean, me as Marinette?  _ A part of her was extremely relieved to know he wasn’t just playing with her emotions, but a bigger part was just even more confused. What had made him think she returned his feelings? Not denying it, just curious. She couldn’t refute the way her endearment had grown in the past two days with him. But hearing him say, without a doubt, the big L-word was more than she expected. Thoughts of Adrien invaded her head. Marinette couldn’t keep doing this to him without a safeguard. “I’m happy for you, Chaton. Just… be careful giving your heart away. I’m pretty sure she’s in love with someone else too.”

To her surprise, that only made his smile grow. “I know.” 

Chat turned to look wistfully into the suite behind him, likely looking for her. There was no more time to talk. She needed to get back to the bathroom before he became suspicious. “Okay Kitty, text me if you need anything. Bug out!” She launched her yoyo and set off in the direction behind the hotel so he wouldn’t watch her leave for too long. 

She swung into the window and barely managed to detransform before she heard a gentle knock on the bathroom door. “Are you okay in there?”

Tikki looked at her with a panicked expression. She searched the room for some kind of excuse before her eyes drifted down to her current outfit, still being her pjs. “Yes,” she squeaked out. “I’m okay! I just… forgot to bring a change of clothes with me! Would you mind bringing my bag to the door?” That was a close call. He answered an affirmative and Marinette sighed with relief.

Her reprieve was short-lived. Tikki, ever the voice of reason, whispered urgently into her ear. “Your hair is still dry! He’s going to suspect something if you don’t actually look and smell like you showered.” Marinette’s eyes widened and she quickly removed her clothes to hop into the shower. She dumped some hotel shampoo over her hair and scrubbed with a fervor. The bodywash got a similar treatment. It was probably only a minute from the time she entered the shower to when she rinsed and jumped out. The raven haired girl was certain that she hadn’t gotten all of the shampoo out, but that was a problem for later. There were more pressing concerns. Once she turned the shower off, she heard the familiar rattle of knuckles against the door again. Wrapping a towel around her damp body she rushed to the door, flinging it open without thinking first.

Chat Noir looked stunned as he took in the sight of her, dripping wet, barely covered by a towel. His face was flushed and he tentatively held out her bag. Marinette’s face became a matching red to his and she yanked the bag from his grasp. The door slammed between them and she fell to the ground in embarrassment. “Oh my god, did I just do that?” She peered up to see Tikki nodding awkwardly. Marinette groaned.  _ So much for not being suspicious. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the past few chapters have been all fluff and no action, but only one more before we get back to it! I don't want anyone thinking Chat Noir is abandoning his duties. Plus, I have to give y'all some romance and happiness before I destroy your hearts with my upcoming plans. If you thought me putting Marinette in mortal danger was bad, then you're not prepared for the ideas in my head. I can be as evil as I want when I have the whole thing planned out in my head already. 
> 
> I love the familiar feeling I'm getting from when I used to write my books and I made a decision that I knew as a reader I'd be upset, but as the writer I was just excited. It was a pretty common thing for me to put beloved characters in risky situations. Maybe one day, if anyone's interested, I can share my original stories on here. 
> 
> Until then, I hope you continue enjoying my first ever fanfiction!


	10. High School Movies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Teenagers and their awkward feelings...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I know this chapter is A LOT, but I couldn't resist. I actually intended to begin the next major plot point before this chapter ended. It just didn't feel right to rush that moment when there was still much more to explore. So enjoy some more fluff and teenage emotions, because next chapter things will start to change again.

**Chapter 10: High School Movies**

Chat Noir was frozen in place. He hadn’t been able to move ever since Marinette had opened the bathroom door. It was closed now, creating a barrier so she couldn’t see him still standing there. But he was just so shocked by the whole situation that he didn’t know what to do. 

Plagg interrupted his daze. “Kid! Hello? Earth to kid? I’m still needing that snack you promised me!”

Chat shook his head and ran his hands through his hair, trying to brush off the awkward feeling. He walked back over to the bed and sat down. “Have your pick,” the blonde said, gesturing toward the table. Chat watched as his kwami gulped down a large chunk of cheese. At least some things never changed.

Plagg gave him a weary look as he picked up a macaron. When he noticed the green eyes on him, he hid it behind his back. Being that the black cat kwami was so small, it was not effective. “What are you doing with that? I thought you didn’t like sweet things.”

Little eyes narrowed at him. “I do too like sweet things! My Sugarcube is extra sweet!” His eyes bolted open wide as he realized suddenly that he’d said too much.

“Sugarcube? You mean, like Ladybug’s kwami?” Chat had no idea why Plagg would be bringing her up now. 

“Yeah, I like to keep sweet things nearby when I can’t have her. Got a problem with that, kid? If I’m seeing things correctly, it looks like you like having a sweet girl in your arms when you can’t have Ladybug, too.” Plaggs teasing had the desired effect of changing the subject, but not in a good way.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean? You think I’m just keeping Marinette as a placeholder until Ladybug comes around?” Chat Noir couldn’t believe that his one and only confidant would say such stupid things.

“Woah, relax Adrien. I didn’t mean it like that. I said I approved of bakery girl, didn’t I? You’re the one who was trying to convince yourself she was just a friend.”

“Well I was wrong, Plagg. Marinette is so much more than a friend. She’s-“ he stopped abruptly when he heard the bathroom door open. Plagg quickly flew off with the macaron to unknown locations. Chat wasn’t happy with how that conversation went, but now that his princess was back in the room, he needed to focus on her. 

Or, more accurately, avoid her gaze entirely, as the thought of seeing her again made his face flame up. It seemed she had the same idea. From the corner of his field of view, he could see her in the mirror with her head pointed in the opposite direction of him as she walked around the bed to her side. Once she was seated, they were back to back and silent. Who was going to break it?

They turned to face each other and spoke at the same time, jumbling their words together.

“I’m sorry, that was so stupid of me-” “I didn’t mean to startle you-”

An awkward pause and a shared look, then more overlapping rambling.

“No, no, it’s okay! Really, I was just-” “I should’ve just left the bag-”

More awkward silence, followed by nervous laughter.

“Can we just-” “Maybe we could just-”

“Forget it?” Their last words finally linked up together. They wore mirrored expressions, down to the position of their arms scratching the back of their necks uncomfortably. The situation, the rambling, the gawkiness; it was all too much. The two teens fell back on the bed in laughter. They didn’t stop until their sides hurt from the mirth and merriment. When they finally slowed to catch their breath, they were looking at each other upside down. Their giddish breath mingled in the close distance. She smelled mostly of hotel soap, but the underlying scent of vanilla still remained.

Marinette’s face was so near, and she looked so adorable in that moment. They both closed their eyes and unconsciously leaned forward. A thrill went through him from the brief brush of their lips. It was soft and barely perceivable if he hadn’t been fully aware of the girl in front of him. The kiss only lasted a moment, but that single moment had his heart soaring. He cautiously opened his eyes to see that her expression matched his thoughts. Her eyes were still closed and a sweet smile was spread on her face, cheeks tinged pink. Chat Noir reached his hand up to brush a stray strand of wet hair from her forehead. She opened her eyes and searched questioningly into his. “What are we doing, Kitty?”

He tried to convey all his emotions through his green eyes. Just in case it wasn’t clear, “I’m not sure what you were thinking, but I was kissing the girl I love.” 

There. It was out there, in the air, the word nearly tangible. No going back now.

She grimaced. He hated to see her brows furrowed in worry. “Chat Noir…” she spoke softly, “I love Adrien.”

He couldn’t fight the smile. “I know. And that’s okay.” He barely registered her widened eyes as he pulled her head back into his for another kiss. Another surprised hum escaped her, reminding him of last nights’ kiss. That thought only egged him on. Since she didn’t seem to be pulling away, he guided them to a sitting position, never once losing touch with her lips. He grasped her waist and pulled her closer. One hand rested on the small of her back, keeping her steady, while his other was tracing sweet circles on her cheek. After a brief moment of hesitation, he felt her hands playing in his hair. Feeling emboldened by her response, he deepened this kiss. With his hand cupping the back of her head now, he could feel her pulse on his palm, going a mile a minute. The cat didn’t think. Every move was an instinct. Before he knew it, his lips had peppered her jawline with kisses and he placed one where he could feel her heartbeat most intently. Marinette gasped at the sensation, while he felt the mask on his face loosen. It must’ve gotten tangled in her fingers and untied. Or maybe she untied it intentionally. Whatever the reason, he didn’t care. He was tired of hiding. Adrien wanted her to know it was him. He eagerly leaned forward to encourage the mask to fall. One more drawn out kiss to her neck. She gasped out a name. “Adrien…”

Suddenly, her body stiffened and she recoiled into herself. She buried her face in her knees and groaned inwardly. Was this how she reacted to knowing it was him? She couldn’t even look at him. “Mari, it’s okay. It’s just me. You can see me. I trust you completely.”

She didn’t look up, but one hand fell to the bed beside her and landed on his mask. One finger flicked it towards him. “Put it back on. This isn’t fair,” she grumbled into her knees. 

“What’s not fair, Princess? Why can’t you look at me?”

Her cringe made it clear that she heard the despair in his voice. “I can’t keep doing this to you. Not when I love someone else.”

_ Oh. So she hadn’t seen him.  _ Adrien bit back the disappointment and instead worked to reassure her. “But Marinette, I told you I don’t mind.” His hand reached for hers desperately, but she shrunk away. 

A sniffled sigh resounded from her buried head. “Is the mask on? I need to look you in the eyes to tell you what I need to say.” He began to protest, but she cut him off with a singular hand motion. Chat Noir begrudgingly put the mask back on his face. After giving her the all clear, he was startled to see her face streamed with tears as she finally looked at him. His eyes searched hers for answers. “Kitty… I don’t think you realize just how much you matter to me. And because of that, I can’t stand by while you degrade yourself to play second fiddle. You deserve a girl who can give you her whole heart upfront, and not just pieces at a time. And that girl… well, she isn’t me. My heart still belongs to Adrien. So this, us, what we’re doing, it isn’t fair to either of us. But especially you. I couldn’t stand to break your heart.”

Chat Noirs face grew flustered with a mixture of emotions. Tenderness for how much she cared. Warmth at her repeated devotion to Adrien - or, him. Anger at himself for not being careful enough with her feelings and obviously hurting her. But most of all, frustration. He wished he could just scream  _ I’m Adrien! _ at the top of his lungs.  _ You have nothing to feel guilty about because I can’t be second place to myself. Just let me love you the way you deserve to be loved. I want you to feel the same feeling I had when you confessed your love for me. I want to cherish you and lay the world at your feet. I want… I want…  _ But no matter how much he wanted, he couldn’t. The thought drove him to his feet and he exited the bedroom quickly so she couldn’t see the tears that began to roll down his face.

It was about an hour or so later when Chat Noir heard a small voice behind him. He had needed to vent his grievance somehow, so the piano was the most logical solution in this otherwise barren hotel room. Already he’d played several different songs for each of his different moods, shifting between Beethoven and Mozart, Liszt and Brahms, Stravinsky and Puccini, etc. But the quiet question was a new sound amongst the heavy notes. 

“Do you know anything from Jagged Stone?”

Chat gave a halfhearted smile that didn’t reach his eyes. His fingers lazily traced across the keys, charting out a familiar melody from the rockstars recent single. The notes stopped abruptly when he felt her slide onto the piano bench next to him. Green eyes searched her face with the questions left unspoken. Marinette rubbed his shoulder gently with her hand. The gesture said all she needed to. A wave of relief threatened to drown him. Marinette’s eyes kept his head above water. 

He was suddenly inspired by her into another song. Chat’s hands moved eloquently across the keyboard, tapping out a fast-paced melody. While Adrien knew he wasn’t the  _ best  _ singer, he had an uncontrollable desire to sing his thoughts. And the song lent itself perfectly to that. He cleared his throat and winked at Marinette. While his body language might’ve been playful, the look in his eyes and the words that came out of his mouth were genuine. “Here we are, we’ve been here, yes we have. Can you tell me we’re okay? We’re face, to face, but are we still apart? Can you tell me it’s okay?” Her eyes were wide and transfixed on his as he sang the words with earnest. “Oh, I can’t believe that I’d say this to you. You can stay, you can go, still I’ll never be the same. But I hope that we’re okay.” Some words didn’t fit right for their current situation, so he changed them up when the song crescendoed into the chorus. “You can’t know what I’ve done. No you don’t know how I’ve changed. I know, I was wrong. I’m sorry that I hurt you, but can you tell me it’s okay?” He was very thankful that the song reached an instrumental break, because it allowed him to turn away and flourish the keyboard. So much emotion was being poured into every note. He knew by the end, he’d be drained, but it was worth it. Marinette needed to understand somehow what he was feeling without him actually saying it, and music always had a way of speaking. After that point he was satisfied that he didn’t need to sing the remainder of the lyrics. The melody slowed at the end, giving him a chance to look at the raven haired beauty beside him. 

Her blue eyes were brimming with awe. As soon as the last note finished hanging between them and he returned his arms to his sides, Marinette practically tackled him off the bench with a strong side hug. “You silly Kitty! Of course we’re okay!” 

He let out a satisfied chuckle. “Thanks, Princess. I promise, I’ll be a good kitty the rest of the night. Cats Honor.” Chat Noir held his hand up in a pledge, causing Marinette to burst out in giggles. The pair smiled reassuringly at each other. Finally, the tension had been broken. 

Curiosity appeared in her blue eyes. “What was that song? I don’t think I’ve ever heard it before.”

Chat flushed bright red. The song was just an instinct. He hadn’t thought about the slightly shameful source. “Uhh, just a song from some stupid movie. Nothing too important.”

He could feel her gaze searching for his eyes, while he tried desperately to avoid hers. “Okay, now I want to know even more.” God, she was stubborn. 

“I-it’s a movie called J-jerk Theory,” he started tentatively, but upon noticing her raised eyebrow, he stammered on. “I know, it’s a cheesy high school comedy, but when you’re homeschooled all your life and determined to go to a normal school finally, some nervous research is required. The internet has plenty of sources.” Thoroughly embarrassed, he hid his face in his hands. 

“Homeschooled? Suddenly a lot of things are adding up, Chaton.” The musing sound of her voice caused him to peek out between his fingers curiously.  _ Was that one hint too many?  _ Instead, she lunged to grab his hands and pull them off his face, her eyes filled with mischief. “That’s it. We’re having a movie night. I need to see what awful sources you’ve learned from so I know how much you need to be reprogrammed. This ‘Jerk Theory’ might explain why you’re so cocky all the time.”

Chat let out an elongated no as she used her grip on his wrists to pull him with her to the couch. He knew it was useless to argue with her; he’d do anything she asked of him. Still, she didn’t know what level of cringe she was getting herself into. 

Marinette sat comfortably next to him on the couch during the movie, giving him the occasional humored side eye. She was totally judging him. Every glance from her renewed the blush on his face. He was soothed by her surprised laughter at a few moments in the movie, as well as the little sway of her shoulders to some of the songs. When Sweet Innocence played, she looked at him with a warm smile. Once his torment was over, she selected her own high school movie for him to watch. The title was a perfect descriptor of the girl beside him: Pretty in Pink. She settled back onto the couch and Chat stretched his arm to lean across the back. Marinette didn’t seem to mind. In fact, despite their late start in the day, he quickly saw her eyelids become heavy and about halfway through the movie, she was snoring lightly. Chat was devoted to finishing the movie for her. When the credits rolled, he was surprised by her repositioning herself to cuddle on his side. He lowered his arm to wrap around her more comfortably. The serene face before him gave him enough peace to find drowsiness in himself, and before he knew it, he was out for the night. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I'M a little embarrassed about that movie selection. It was decent when I was 15, maybe, but now it just feels juvenile. The music is just so dang good though, so my hearts conflicted.
> 
> If anyone is still reading at this point, I'd be surprised. There are so many amazing fanfictions on this site. My amateur one is just for my own amusement and entertainment. But just in case someone's still here, just know that I have at least 20 chapters planned in total. So we're halfway done? Okay, cool. I'm going to go try not to drown in self-doubt.


	11. The Dolls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When babysitting goes very wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry it took me so long to update! Work has been crazy busy with them not caring if we get overtime or not, and since I need the money, I'm clearly taking them up on that offer. On a brighter note, I just got a promotion because of all my hard work, so more hours, but higher pay! I'll take whatever I can get right now, until this pandemic eventually shuts down my work too. 
> 
> Anyways, I'm not super thrilled by this chapter. It took me a while to write because I was just stuck on how to do it. Ultimately, it didn't work out exactly how I wanted, but it'll suffice for now. You'll see.

**Chapter 11: The Dolls**

The next morning, it was Marinette that woke up first.

Chat was awoken by her sound of alarm. He barely managed to catch her as she frantically rolled off of him. Inevitably throughout the night they had managed to lay down on the couch, with Marinette lying on top of him. Now, he had her in his tight grip so she wouldn’t continue her descent off the edge. Her wide eyes and nervous grin were a very welcome sight to wake up to. With a chuckle, Chat greeted her. “Good morning, Princess.”

“M-morning, Chat N-noir,” she squirmed out of his grip to sit upright next to him. He remained laying down and just smirked up at her face. The raven-haired beauty had marks on her red face from laying on his chest, and her hair was a tangled mess. Yet, she was still utterly adorable. 

A loud noise interrupted his reverence. Marinette jumped again before she realized it was her cellphone. Unknown number. She looked at Chat Noir briefly for permission to answer. “Claws Out,” he said quietly. “Just in case.” The green glow washed over her startled face as he transformed before her eyes. She shook off the surprise and answered the phone, putting it on speaker. 

“Hello?” Marinette’s question squeaked.

“Marinette? Oh, thank goodness! I’ve been trying to reach you all morning.”

Her eyes lit up with recognition. “Mrs. Chamack?!”

“Oh dear, I forgot to give you my new number. I’m sorry, dear, it’s been a crazy past few days with this latest Akuma.”

“Tell me about it,” Marinette and Chat Noir mumbled under their breaths in unison. They shared a brief smile before Marinette continued the conversation. “What is it that you need, Mrs. Chamack?”

“I know you were going to later on, but I was hoping you could babysit Manon a little earlier today. The studio needs me and I don’t want Manon just running amok while there’s a villain loose in Paris.”

“Uhh, I don’t know about that, Mrs. Chamack. I’m in a very strange situation right now.”

“I’ll double your rates! Please!”

“But, I have a very persistent Chat Noir who won’t leave me alone right now. It’s a long story.”

“Perfect! A superhero watching Manon would make her extra safe! Please, Marinette, I really need you right now.” Nadja’s plea was desperate through the phone. 

Marinette looked at Chat intently. Her eyes seemed to scream  _ What do I do? _ He thought over the options and figured that there was no way Cajoler could expect them to be babysitting at a time like this. It could work out perfectly. He reluctantly nodded. “Okay, I guess we can-”

“Thank you! If you could be at my house in an hour? See you then!” The call ended before either of them could say any more. 

The two teens stared at each other in helpless silence before Marinette groaned and held her head. “Gah, I’m sorry about this, Kitty. I totally forgot that I had promised to babysit tonight.”

Chat Noir walked over to put a hand on her shoulder. “A promise is a promise. It’ll be okay.”

She nuzzled her cheek into his hand on her shoulder. “Thanks. But don’t worry, you won’t have to do anything with babysitting. I’ll handle the whole thing. You can just, err, stand guard or something?”

He chortled. “I’d love to help out with little Manon. I didn’t have siblings growing up, so I’ve always wondered how I’d be with kids.”

Marinette’s eyes lit up in wonder. “An only child? Kitty, I think you might be revealing a little too much about yourself. If I knew you in civilian form, I’m sure I would’ve figured it out by now.” Her voice was teasing, but there was an underlying curiosity there. 

Chat just snorted. “You’d be surprised, Mari.” He gave her a sad smile. If only she would put all his hints together. “Anyway, I’m going to take a quick shower before we head over to the Chamacks. Be ready in 30?”

She nodded and headed into the bedroom to get ready. He followed and snatched the backpack with his stuff off the floor on his trek to the bathroom. After a quick shower, he dug out his clothes from the bag. The only clean items he had left was his civilian clothing. That just meant he needed to keep transformed today until he could maybe get some spares while they were out. Somehow. He’d figure it out. He changed his clothes and put the mask in the backpack, just in case, before calling on Plagg. 

The black cat kwami had been quiet this morning. He hadn’t even said anything after Adrien detransformed in the bathroom. No  _ What a rude awakening!  _ or  _ Where’s my cheese?  _ Instead, just a dejected silence. Adrien had to just chalk that up to dissatisfaction at their conversation yesterday afternoon. He wanted to talk to him and clear the air, but he was still pretty miffed that his kwami had called Marinette a placeholder. His fist unwittingly clenched. “Claws out, Plagg.”

Roughly half an hour later, Chat Noir stood with Marinette outside of Nadja Chamacks apartment. Once the door opened Marinette was immediately pounced upon by a little force of nature. She looked at Chat skeptically. Of course, he knew her as Adrien from their trip to the wax museum and the photoshoot before that, but he’d only met her as Chat Noir while she was Puppeteer, which didn’t really count. He crouched to her level and held out his fist for a bump. “Hey Kiddo, I’m Chat Noir.”

She cautiously touched her fist to his. “I know. What are you doing with my babysitter?”

He rubbed his chin, feigning thought, before answering with a smirk. “When I heard she got to babysit the one and only Super-Manon, I knew I had to come! It’s always fun to meet a fellow superhero.”

The little eyes widened in happiness. “Yay! Super-Manon!” She transitioned her hug to him, and then without delay, she ran back inside and into her bedroom. 

Nadja stood in the doorway looking grateful. “Thank you again for coming on such short notice. If you need anything, just call the studio.”

“No problem, Ma’am. We’ve got this under control,” Marinette said with a smile. They entered the apartment and promptly Nadja left them alone. The pair shrugged at each other and walked towards Manon’s bedroom door. Upon opening it further, they noticed that they very much did  _ not  _ have this under control. The seven-year-old must’ve gotten into a hidden stash of candy, because there were opened wrappers all over the room and a very unmistakeable chocolate smear around her mouth. So much energy was now stored in her tiny body that she was quivering with excitement. “Oh no. Oh no nonononono! Manon, what have you done!?” Marinette’s anger was clearly motivated by fear of what could happen with an overly excited kid.

Manon’s already giant eyes got even wider as she giggled and held out a half eaten candy bar. “Want some? It was a present!” Chat Noir went to the kitchen to grab a trash bag and wipes for the sweet mess. Once he returned, Marinette got to work cleaning their wards face. Manon tried desperately to get out of Marinette’s grip when she saw the superhero pick up the candy basket and put it in the trash with all the wrappers. “Nooooo, those are mine!” she whimpered. 

He thought about it briefly before grabbing one stray chocolate bar and holding it intently towards her. “If you behave, we will let you have this last one. But ONLY if you cooperate. Deal?”

She pouted and tried to trap him with her baby-doll eyes. Before it could work, Marinette caught her attention. The teen was holding up a few dolls encouragingly. “I’ll let you play with the heros this time…” Manon looked thrilled enough that she accepted their deal. She lunged across the room to snatch the Ladybug and Chat Noir dolls from her babysitter. Marinette just looked at Chat with a shrug. “I guess we’re going to be playing the villains. Think you can manage?”

Chat smirked. “I’m bubbling with excitement,” he said as he grabbed the Bubbler doll. “This guy was pretty cool to fight. Seems like he’d be an awesome best friend.”

Marinette rolled her eyes at his lame pun, before grabbing the Lady Wifi doll. “If we’re going with best friends, I’ll be Alya’s alter-ego. What’s our plan?”

He was thoroughly excited now. Even though there was an akuma loose, they hadn’t seen any actual fighting in a few days. Chat missed the banter and haphazard plans that always seemed to work out. He grabbed Bubbler's wand in his hand and pointed it at the miniature superheros. “Give us your Miraculous or I’ll send you flying with my bubbles!” 

Marinette snickered beside him before getting into character. “Yeah, and I’ll pause you both!” They both feigned attacks, which Manon dodged by swiping the dolls through the air like they were doing backflips and stunts. She seemed to be enjoying the game well enough. But Marinette wanted to up the stakes. “Ha! I’ve hit you, Ladybug! You’re paused! What will Chat Noir do now?”

Manon looked horrified, but complied, holding Ladybug still as she brought the black cat superhero to her side. “Milady? Are you okay? What can I do without you?” While the little girl used to despise the idea of her heros being a couple, after she found her own crush, the idea grew on her. Marinette must’ve known that would be a fun game mechanic to use. The little face in front of them sneered at them. “You’re going down, Lady Wifi! Cataclysm!” Suddenly the doll was landing a hit on the miniature cell phone in the villain's hand. Her babysitter simulated defeat. Ladybug was mobile again and rushed to her partner's side. “Oh, thank you, Kitty! You’re my hero! We still have to defeat Bubbler, but there isn’t anything we can’t do together! Kiss me, Chat Noir!” Manon pushed the two dolls' faces together and made kissing sounds. 

The real Chat Noir abruptly reached forward to separate the dolls. “That isn’t how it goes. Ladybug doesn’t kiss Chat Noir. She doesn’t even like him like that.” He felt dejected to admit it, but he didn’t like seeing what couldn’t be. Besides, the girl he really wanted to kiss was next to him. No need to encourage a false narrative. 

Manon did not like his declaration. She looked positively pissed. “Yes, she does! These are my dolls and so they do what I want them to! Chat Noir and Ladybug are in love! They just don’t know it yet!” The little girl was on her feet yelling into his face, clenching the two dolls in either hand. 

Chat Noir didn’t back down. “Oh, you think I don’t know? You don’t think I’ve spent the past few years trying to get her to fall in love with me? Only for me to find out that she’s just as vain as every other girl in Paris. It’s not going to happen, Manon! Just accept that!” He knew he was internalizing this argument. He knew the words were for him. But once he started talking, he just couldn’t hold back. Even though the target of his words was a poor little girl, who just wanted her idols to be together. Guilt washed over him. Chat looked down dejectedly, afraid to even meet the startled blue eyes that belonged to the girl with her concerned hand on his shoulder. 

It was too late to take his words back. The damage had been done. Manon’s tear-stricken voice penetrated his armor. “Bad Cat! Ladybug is perfect! I’ll prove it to you!”

Marinette worked quickly to remedy the situation. She handed Manon the chocolate bar they’d used as a bribe. The little girl took it angrily. Next thing he knew, Chat was on his feet being led from the room. Marinette left the door cracked so she could keep an eye on Manon, but most of her focus was staring intensely into his eyes. “Chat Noir, are you alright?”

He sighed. “Yeah… I’m sorry, I overreacted. Things with Ladybug have been… complicated to say the least.”

“I remember you saying that the other night. I don’t know what exactly is going on, but I have a tough time thinking she’s vain like you claim. Regardless of what is happening, you need to keep a straight head. That means no yelling at little girls.  _ Especially  _ little girls who are already hyped up on energy from who-knows-how-many chocolate bars. So put these feelings aside. I think it’s best if you stay out here for now. I’ll come get you if she decides to forgive you.” Marinette’s voice was stern. However, her hand was still holding his from leading him out of the room. She gave it a gentle squeeze and he returned suit with a small smile. He really had been incredibly stupid. If there hadn’t already been an akuma active, that argument very well would have created one. He wasn’t in the mood to fight Puppeteer again. 

Marinette reached out to open the door. Instead, it slammed open with a loud crash. They saw Manon being taken away through a hole in the wall in the grip of a giant wooden monster. She went willingly, still clinging to the hero dolls, her face highlighted by a blue mask.  _ Mayura.  _ How could he have forgotten the other trick Hawk Moth had up his sleeve? Chat put himself between Marinette and the sentimonster. Thankfully it was walking away from them. Probably looking for Ladybug. That meant that he would have to join the fight and leave Mari alone. At Cajoler’s mercy. There was no way he knew they were there. If Marinette could just hide, everything would be okay. Right?

Just in case, he grabbed the backpack they came in with and took out his black mask. “Here, Princess. I need to go fight, but we need to disguise you. Just in case you need to escape to a different location. I can’t risk Cajoler finding you.” He handed her the mask and his tracksuit jacket. She reluctantly put them on as he escorted her to the nearest closet. Once she was safely seated on the floor and properly disguised, he knelt by her side. “I’ll be back before you know it, okay? I won’t let anything happen to you.”

She smiled up at him. Something about her face with the mask on looked strikingly familiar. Maybe if the mask was a different color? He was probably just thinking of her as Multimouse. But for some reason, the color red jumped out at him. He shook off the thought. She was speaking to him now. “Go, Chaton! I’ll be okay!”

He brushed his lips across her forehead before closing the closet door between them. There wasn’t time to dwell. They had an amok to fight.

Chat Noir took out his staff and launched himself in the direction he last saw the sentimonster go.  _ I hope Ladybug’s already there. We need to make this quick.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I'm using Puppeteer, but modified. We'll see how it goes in the next chapter. It might be rough too, because I'm not very good at writing action, but there's only one chapter left until the giant reveal that originated this entire story! That, I know, will be fun to write. 
> 
> Sorry for my depressive episode last time. I don't really know what came over me. But I am thrilled to know people still care enough to read the story. Thank you all for sticking with me. <3


	12. The Mask

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Battles bring out the best in people, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After writing yesterdays chapter I got a huge surge of energy and motivation, so here's the next one! Enjoy!

**Chapter 12: The Mask**

As soon as Chat Noir was out of sight, Marinette clambered out of the closet. Tikki was right by her side. “Marinette, what are we going to do about Chat Noir?” her kwami fussed.

“No time for that,” the girl said as she hastily removed the jacket and mask. It’d be better for her partner to find something than it would be if he found nothing. That is, if Ladybug wasn’t able to get back before him. Yes, she was concerned by the implications he’d made while talking to Manon, but it didn’t make sense. The only boy she’d talked to Chat about was Adrien. And she had made sure not to sound like she knew him personally. So his reaction was illogical. What mattered now was capturing the amok. “Tikki, spots on!”

After her transformation, she rushed in the direction of the towering Sentimonster. From a nearby rooftop she could make out what exactly they were dealing with. It appeared to be a large wooden configuration that was moved by a series of pulleys and strings. Manon stood on his shoulders as the pilot. Ladybug watched as he shot out a string to wrap around a car and fling it towards a small black figure.  _ Chat Noir.  _ Her partner dodged the vehicle expertly, but she knew it was time to join the battle. The bug swung into action.

As soon as she landed next to Chat, he made a snide comment. “Took you long enough.”

“Sorry Kitty, I came as fast as I could.”

“Well, let’s just hurry up and get rid of this thing. I need to get back to protecting Marinette, and I have a bad feeling about the timing of this.” Her heart twinged at the obvious concern in his voice for her civilian self, but he was clearly unhappy with Ladybug. “The girl on his shoulder is controlling the sentimonster. Marinette and I were babysitting her and I might’ve said a few things she didn’t like. But, I’m pretty sure the amok is in one of those dolls.”

She nodded, instantly enveloped in the action. They went into action wordlessly from that point, both trying desperately to climb the beast while avoiding his swinging projectiles. Chat Noir was knocked down by a stray streetlight, while Ladybug was toppled by a whole tree. After a couple more attempts, the pair regrouped. They tried going at it together, climbing the same side and blocking the obstacles for each other. This tactic was successful enough that they managed to reach the sentimonsters hip before he tried a new method. A string latched onto Chat Noir’s wrist and dragged him off. Ladybug was so startled by her partner’s capture that she didn’t notice another string grasp her left leg. Suddenly they were dangling face to face, albeit Ladybug was upside down. 

Her partner was desperately trying to claw the string off his arm, but finding it to be indestructible, he looked to Ladybug for help. She held her right hand to her chin to think, but it was yanked away before she had time. The superheroine was flipped around so she was looking at Chat Noir in the right orientation. But now, she had two limbs captured. And Chat hadn’t found any luck either. His other wrist was now strung up. In the blink of any eye, they had new strings around their waists and chests, acting as a harness to keep them afloat while also allowing the usage of their arms. Ladybug knew exactly what was happening. “Chat Noir, she’s making us into puppets! Try to keep your other limbs free!”

“Got it,” he nodded, but his face changed to alarm as he was propelled towards her. His arms were being pulled up to wrap around Ladybug’s shoulders, and her entrapped arm was tugged behind his back. Their faces were inches apart, but the two heroes still had control of their heads. They leaned away from the forced interaction. 

A little voice rose above them. Manon was making her demands. “Admit you love each other!”

Ladybug tried to plaster on a confused expression so that Chat wouldn’t know she was aware of the argument he’d had with their captor. “What are you talking about?”

Chat looked pained by their close proximity. He looked up for the little girl. “Manon, I’m sorry. You can’t force two people to love each other. She doesn’t know the real me, and I don’t know her. We can’t be in love.”

Now it was Ladybug’s turn to be pained. Was that really how he felt? What made him think he knew Marinette any better?  _ Focus! We’re in the middle of a battle!  _ Her internal pep talk was barely enough to assuage her concerns. 

“You fight villains together all the time! I don’t believe you don’t know each other!” Manon’s voice sounded closer than before. Ladybug looked up to see they were now hanging at nearly chest level with the monster. A lightbulb appeared to go off in the kid’s head. “If I take your miraculous, you’ll have to see each other! And then you’ll fall madly in love, just like in the movies!” she squealed above them. Suddenly they were being separated by the strings, but only to be brought together again. Chat Noir’s hands were reaching up to her ears while her one seized wrist was being guided to meet his ringed finger. Manon intended for them to remove each other’s miraculous. 

Ladybug couldn’t let that happen. She looked intently at her partner. “Do you trust me?” His earnest nod was all she needed. The red heroine reached up her free leg and kicked off him, launching herself far enough that she could reach a streetlamp and latch on. She smiled when she noticed that he had used the acceleration as an advantage to do the same. Despite this all, they were still in sync. Wrapping her legs around the lamp pole, she reached for her yoyo with her free hand and tossed it into the air. “Lucky Charm!”

A red belt landed in her outstretched hand. She looked around eagerly for the answer to the riddle that her power always left her with. Her vision highlighted the lamp posts, as well as her partners' staff and tail. Ladybug knew what to do. “Chat Noir, extend your staff to me!” He did as she asked and followed her lead, detaching his tail to tie his staff to the pole on his end while she similarly tied her lucky charm. It was a difficult task to accomplish, more so for him with both his arms having to fight against the pull of the sentimonster. But as soon as they were finished, Ladybug called out for her partner again. “Alright Kitty, run!”

The duo ran diagonally to meet in the middle of the street. Once their hands were joined, Ladybug threw her yoyo as far as she could and pulled them along. The resistance provided by the puppet strings was nearly unbearable. Chat Noir could sense her struggle, so he planted his free feet on the ground to kick off from the ground, giving them more leverage. Finally there was a bit of progress. They were slowly but surely pulling the sentimonster towards their trap. 

Their advance spurred on the black cat hero. “Come on, just trip already,  _ wood  _ you?” He smirked at his own pun, and Ladybug felt her heart swell. There was her kitty. Making bad puns while fighting with all he’s got. The pair shared a smile before continuing their momentum. 

It wasn’t much longer before the sentimonster walked straight into their improvised tripwire. They gave one extra strong pull to really launch him down to their level. As the monster tumbled, Manon slipped from his shoulder. Since their strings now had some leeway, Chat Noir lunged forward to catch the little girl. Once she landed, Ladybug grabbed the dolls and tore them in half. Out of the red doll flew a blue feather. “Time to de-evilize!” After freeing the purified feather, she ran to undo the lucky charm from the pole. Tossing it into the air, she practically sang out the freeing phrase. “Miraculous Ladybug!” 

As the magic swelled around her, she felt a sense of relief. Finally, a win, after days of frightening failures. It felt good to succeed for once. Her arm reflexively reached up to meet Chat Noir’s usually extended fist. “Pound i-” her fist met empty air. Ladybug looked around for her teammate. 

He was looking off in the distance with a horrified expression. “Marinette!” he yelped, before launching off towards Manon’s house. Of course, he’d be looking for her. She needed to beat him back, but she couldn’t just leave Manon in the street. She quickly put the kid on her back before heading off after the black spot in the distance. 

_ No no no no… This isn’t good. What excuse am I going to give him? Maybe I’ll get lucky and he won’t freak out too much before I can detransform? I can tell him I had to take off the mask so I could… see? No, that’s stupid. Ugh, think Marinette, think! _

Thinking wouldn’t have done her any good. By the time she reached Manon’s room, she knew there was nothing that could be done. 

Chat Noir was on his knees in front of the discarded disguise. His fists were balled around the sleeves of the jacket. There was more on the floor besides the mask though. Pictures littered the ground around her ally. Nearly every shot had Marinette in it, and they were sporadic moments from the past few days. She even noticed a couple with Nino and Alya, pre-capture. But on her civilian face in particular was an oddly drawn target. In every. Single. Picture. 

Ladybug crept closer to her partner, being careful not to disturb him any further. Her eyes lit on a picture of herself from that morning, on the phone with Nadja.  _ He knew.  _ A theory came to mind. Searching through the other photos, it was confirmed when there was a stray photo that did not contain a person as its subject. Instead it had a familiar candy basket. Cajoler planned this whole amok attack. He knew the candy would rile up the child in their care, making her susceptible. They were deceived. 

Upon noticing the photograph in question, Chat Noir growled and crumpled the picture in his hands. His voice was hoarse when he spoke next. “He’s got her. He’s got Marinette.”

Ladybug couldn’t very well tell him that he was wrong. There was no way she’d know, without revealing her identity. So instead, she tried to put a positive spin on the situation. “But he’s left us with a ton of clues. He messed up this time. We can figure out where he’s at if we can figure out how he spied on her.” A shiver went up her spine as she realized the implications of that. What all had Cajoler seen? 

Chat broke her out of her daunting thoughts. “He did mess up. He created one pissed off cat. And I’m not afraid to die as long as she gets to live.”

The words hit like a dagger. “Chaton, you don’t mean that.”

He ignored her defensive tone. “I will do anything that needs to be done. That’s all you need to know.” His gloved hands were trembling as he gathered up the photographs and clothing. Ladybug wasn’t sure if it was from anger, fear, or sadness. As she caught the look on his face when he turned to put the evidence in their backpack, a fact became very evident to her. 

Chat Noir was angry, afraid, _and_ _distraught_. 

The black mask remained in his hand as he slid down the wall to rest. Manon tugged on Ladybug’s arm, causing the red bug to squeal. She’d entirely forgotten about their responsibility. A scared voice chirped out of the child by her side. “Is Chat Noir going to be okay?”

Ladybug knelt down to her level so she could meet the wide eyes of Manon. “He’s just worried about your babysitter, Marinette. That’s all.” A beeping in her ear reminded Ladybug that her time was running out. “Manon, I need you to be very good for Kitty while I go recharge, okay? Just go play on your own for a little bit. I’ll be back in a minute.” The little brunette nodded her head somberly before wandering over to play with her other toys. The teen shot one last glance to her gloomy partner before her earrings beeped rapidly at her and she had to leave the room. 

As soon as the door closed behind her, the pink glow removed her costume and condensed into her kwami. Tikki’s eyes were wide with shock. “What are you going to do?”

Marinette groaned and lowered herself to the floor. She reached into her purse for a spare cookie to give to her kwami. “I don’t know, Tikki. I really don’t know.”

Tikki took a large bite from the sugary snack, and then nuzzled her chosens’ cheek. “We need to catch this bad guy soon. Chat Noir’s kwami is worried for his chosen one. Losing Marinette will only make things worse.”

“He didn’t lose me, though. I’m right here. I wish I could just tell him.”

They didn’t even need to share a look for Marinette to know that Tikki was looking at her with caution. “You know you can’t share your identities. No matter how much you may love each other, it’s just not safe yet.”

Marinette turned to her kwami, about to defend the love comment, but the words died in her throat. She couldn’t deny that she had grown stronger affection for her crime-fighting partner in the past few days. But Tikki was right, it wasn’t safe. Instead of retorting, she just buried her head in her knees and groaned. She felt the reassuring weight of her kwami settling onto her shoulder to finish eating her cookie. 

They only had one day left to save her friends. The gravity of that thought was an immeasurable load. One day to save four people. One day to save her best friend. One day to save Adrien. One day to figure out how everything got so confusing.

Marinette took a deep breath and got to her feet. Her Kwami had finished refueling, so there was no more time to waste. She adorned her spots and walked back into the bedroom, hoping more than ever that she could be strong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so so so so excited for the next chapter. It's going to hurt so bad, but it's the idea that inspired the entire fic. Just gotta listen to some angsty music to get in the mood. Hope y'all are enjoying!


	13. Bell and a Bug

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir makes a horrifying discovery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * TRIGGER WARNING! *  
> This chapter contains depictions of depression and panic attack. I will include a summary of the important events in the end notes in case you want to skip this chapter. It is very dark. I feel bad about it, but it is necessary to further the story.

**Chapter 13: Bell and a Bug**

_ God, you are so fucking stupid. How the hell did you let him get to her? Why couldn’t you protect her? Are you just not enough? You’re the worst. _

Chat Noir felt numb as he succumbed to the voice in his head. These dark thoughts were threatening to consume him. It was a new experience, but one that had been growing over the past few days since they first faced Cajoler. Maybe that head injury had done more damage than he thought. But his suit was supposed to heal him, right? 

_ This is all your fault. If you hadn’t upset Manon, she wouldn’t have created a sentimonster, and you wouldn’t have had to leave Marinette to Cajolers mercy. Why did you think a flimsy mask would protect her? Cajoler is already ten steps ahead of you. Just give up already. _

Chat fought back. He couldn’t give up. Marinette needed him to be strong for her. He needed to lock this voice away so he could focus on saving the girl he loved. 

A gentle hand on his shoulder broke him out of his grief. He looked up to see a concerned Ladybug staring down at him. She sank to his level and grabbed his hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Hey Kitty,” she said softly.

His voice struggled to exit his throat. “Hey LB. What’s up?”

She bit her lip in hesitation, unsure how to continue. “Umm, I think we should get Manon somewhere safe so we can get to work on deciphering the clues. Do you have any ideas?” Okay, so no discussion about his mental state. That seemed like a good plan. Just avoid the looming topic entirely. 

Chat thought about it briefly. The answer was obvious, but also daunting. How was he going to break the news? “Honestly, the best place is probably with Marinette’s parents. They know Mrs. Chamack, so they can call her to let her know what happened. Plus, we need to inform them of what happened today. I...I promised I’d protect their daughter. They should hear of my failure from me.”

Ladybug’s grip on his hand tightened and she looked at him with a pained and conflicted expression. Squeezing her eyes shut and taking a deep breath, she nodded at his suggestion. “That sounds like a good plan. Let’s get things packed up here.”

Chat didn’t even have the energy to think deeper into her reactions. He just quietly got to his feet and helped her pack a small bag for Manon. Then the two of them carried the child downstairs and locked the door behind them. He could feel Ladybug staring at him, but he was already rehearsing his speech to Marinette’s parents in his head. He took his staff out and set off in the direction of the bakery, with his partner right beside him.

The Dupain-Chengs were certainly surprised to see them. But just like Chat thought, they accepted Manon without complaints. Ladybug walked the child into the living room while he lingered with the adults in the entryway to their apartment. He sheepishly hung his head while he collected his thoughts. Finally looking up to meet their expectant eyes, he took a deep breath before launching into his speech. 

“I am so sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng. I failed you and your daughter. Cajoler took her today and I fear that taking her away from here was useless. He still managed to spy on us from our hideout. And as a result, she’s now in his clutches.” He struggled to read their expressions. They seemed confused, even looking past him at the red superheroine in their living room, then back to him with more bewilderment. He trudged on. “I promise you that I will do everything I can to bring her home. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if anything happened to her”

Marinette’s mom gave him a timid smile and put her hand on his shoulder. “We know. And we have a pretty good feeling that she’s okay.” She took notice of his skeptical expression. “Call it parental intuition, dear. But trust us; our daughter is a strong girl who can take care of herself. That akuma doesn’t know what he’s gotten himself into.”

Mr. Dupain put his hand on Chat’s other shoulder and lowered his voice so only the three of them could hear. “You’re a good kid, Adrien. Don’t beat yourself up so much over this. I promise, it’s not as bad as you think. We understand. And after this whole thing is over, we would love to have you over for dinner, with or without the mask. You’ll make a great addition to the family.”

Chat probably would’ve blushed if he hadn’t still been so upset with himself. So instead, he just nodded. He didn’t know why they seemed so sure that Marinette was safe. Every nerve in his body was screaming that she needed saving immediately. But there wasn’t time to think about it. He needed to get back to the hotel so they could look over the pictures for clues.

Ladybug was finishing setting up everything for Manon when he turned to look at her. She came to his side sheepishly. Mr. Dupain had gone into the kitchen and was rifling around in the fridge, so she addressed Marinette’s mom. “We appreciate you watching her for us, Ma- err, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng.”

“We’re happy to help, Ladybug!” She responded enthusiastically. Her husband returned to her side with a few food items for the pair of heroes. He handed them over and refused their protests. Chat opened the backpack, accepting. Once they were all stocked up and ready, the parents gave them a group hug. “Stay safe, you two.” 

Chat was a little taken aback by the intimacy of the hug, but it felt nice to have caring parents.  _ Family.  _ That’s what Marinette’s father said he could be. The idea gave him a brief moment of peace in his otherwise troubled mind.  _ I’d love to be a part of this family. But I need to save Marinette first. _ With that thought driving him, the pair of superheroes made their way across Paris towards the hotel. 

“None of this makes any sense.” Chat grumbled. He had been pouring over the photographs for the past frustrating hour. There were at least 20 different shots of Marinette with that eerie misshapen target. One shot of Nino when they were asking him about what he saw. A couple shots of Alya in Nino’s disheveled room post-akuma attack. One blurry image of the inside of Alya’s apartment, seconds before the bomb went off as evidenced by the timer in the photo. Even a couple shots of Ladybug: one on the Eiffel Tower and one on the balcony of the hotel room. And then there were the outliers. Besides the photo of the candy basket, there were a few more miscellaneous photos of what seemed like random items. 

Ladybug sat across from him and returned his sentiment with a groan of her own. “I just don’t know how he got these photos. The angles aren’t consistent with a security camera or drone. It’s like someone was there taking the photos right next to us. But that’s impossible.”

“I can guarantee there was no one else around with Marinette in these moments. When I saw the first photo in the video, I assumed he had a drone to take that shot. That’s why I took her away to a location I didn’t think he could track. Clearly, I was mistaken.”

“First photo?” Ladybug inquired.

“Yeah, did you not watch the video Cajoler posted on the Ladyblog?”

“Uhh, I guess I didn’t pay it enough attention?”

He scoffed. “There was a photo of Marinette grabbing my tail on her roof. It’s this one, actually,” he handed her the photo in question. It also had the signature target.

“What does this mean?” She traced the shape with a fingertip. It was a single circle with an extended line across the center. What would be considered the bullseye almost looked like a keyhole instead, with a rounded head and an elongated segment off of it. Chat felt like he recognized it, but he couldn’t recall what the hell it was. Ladybug’s question was more rhetorical anyway. They’d asked the same thing at least 50 times, with increasing frustration. 

Suddenly a puzzled look dominated his partner's face. “You know, of everyone involved in this case, we don’t have any pictures of Chloe or Adrien. Chloe makes sense I guess with her being his first victim, but Adrien? He’s the most photogenic person ever.” Chat saw pink dusting her cheeks but chose to ignore it. “There’s another person missing too. You, Chaton. I don’t see you in any of these.”

Concerned, he leaned over the table and investigated her claim. It wasn’t wrong. There were no photos of himself, civilian or suit-clad.  _ Ironic, huh? No photos of the model.  _ “I guess you’re right. Wonder why that is?”

Ladybug let out a loud sigh that developed into a yawn. Her eyes widened when she realized what she’d done. “Wow, I didn’t realize how tired I had gotten. I’m going to go, uhh, take a shower so I can wake myself up. There’s no time for sleep right now. I feel like we’re so close to figuring this out.” She got to her feet and stretched. Chat could hear the sound of her shoulders popping when she raised them over her head. He didn’t acknowledge her as she left the room; he was too engrossed in this new discovery.

Parts of Chat were visible in some photos, right? Actually, most of the photos contained some portion of his gloved hands or tail behind him. But none of his face, masked or otherwise. The angles were just  _ so off.  _ It was almost like the photos were taken by his own eyes.

Realization hit like a train.

_ He  _ was the camera, somehow. Every shot was taken from his perspective. His eyes lingered on the photo on Marinette’s rooftop. He should’ve realized instantly. She was looking just above the camera, but not off to either side. Directly above. 

_ This entire time, I was only putting her in harm's way. I thought I was protecting her.  _

_She would’ve been better off without you._ The voice in his head was back, and with a vengeance. Chat got to his feet and wrung his hands through his hair while he paced, trying to silence the dark thoughts. His efforts were useless. _She probably wouldn’t have even been on Cajoler’s radar if you hadn’t been selfish by going to see her that first night. This is all your fault._ The rage was building inside him. Making his way into the bedroom portion of the suite, he nearly put his fist through a nearby dresser. Breathing was becoming a struggle. He felt like his heart was trying to evacuate his chest. Chat stumbled over the rug and managed to topple the other dresser. _God, you can’t do anything right, can you?_

“Shut up!” The teen spoke aloud through gritted teeth. It was too painful to fight the voice silently anymore. Though, with the increasing difficulty to breathe, speaking was becoming an impossibility as well. He clutched at his chest in an attempt to hold himself together. His bell rang out feebly as his hand brushed it. Somehow he reached the bedside table and used the stable surface to ground himself. Closing his eyes and taking a few deep breaths, he began to feel a little more steady. 

But all that changed when he opened his eyes again and caught the faint reflection in the glass lampshade. A circle with a line across the middle and a keyhole center. It was right there, under his nose the entire time. A very faint red glow emanated from the hole, confirming his darkest fears. 

_ You’ve had a bug in your bell this entire time and you were too stupid to see.  _

Chat’s fist came down to shatter the lamp. He yelled every obscenity he could think of, just overcome with anger at himself. The voice was right. He  _ was  _ stupid. Cajoler must’ve planted the bug when he was knocked unconscious during that first fight. It would’ve absorbed into the suit when he detransformed, which explained why there weren’t any photos from times when he was just relaxing around the hotel room. The bell/target on the pictures was Cajoler taunting him. It was mortifying. The pure knowledge that this was entirely his fault was unbearable. He hated it. He hated Cajoler. 

He hated himself.

Tears burned down his cheeks. The racing heartbeat and hyperventilation returned. What could only be described as a mixture of outcries and sobs made their way out of his throat, leaving it raw in their wake. He collapsed to his knees. It felt like he was dying. 

_ You deserve to die, after what you’ve done. This is all your fault. _

The strength to argue was gone. All that remained was enough for one word to escape his lips, wreaking havoc on his vocal chords. 

“Cataclysm!”

Then everything went dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SORRY! I promise, Chat/Adrien is still alive. Next chapter will be better and softer, I promise. I just felt like Adrien would suffer from depression with everything that has happened to him. I know in a "kids" show, they aren't going to play with that concept, but in fanfics I can. I imagine this chapter was hard to read, since it was hard for me to write. I probably would have been unable to write this if I hadn't been properly medicated for my own depression. But there's a reason for everything I do. 
> 
> SUMMARY: Chat Noir and Ladybug bring Manon to Marinette's parents house, then return to the hotel to look over the photos for clues. They realize that Chat isn't present in the photos. Once he's alone, Chat has a panic attack and realizes that his bell has been bugged with a camera. The chapter ends with him calling on Cataclysm.


	14. Shattered Glass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where is Chat Noir?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I repeat, I am sorry for last chapter! I felt like I needed to get this one out ASAP so I didn't leave y'all hanging too long. The next few are going to be more action and less fluff, but Adrien will be getting stronger and more brave.

**Chapter 14: Shattered Glass**

“Tikki, what do you think about all of this?”

Marinette stood in the bathroom of the suite talking to the red kwami, bemoaning their situation. While she had told Chat that she was going to shower, she truthfully just wanted to get advice from her closest confidant. Tikki  _ was  _ centuries old. She had a lot of experience that could help their current situation. 

Unfortunately, this was not a familiar plight. “I’m not even sure. Maybe the photos are part of Cajolers’ powers? As far as we’ve seen he doesn’t have anything that stands out, besides the stealth and strength.”

“I guess…” Marinette sighed. “There’s now just an abundance of clues. It’s hard to sort through it all.”

“Then don’t,” Tikki said simply. “Break it down. Separate out the photos that aren’t familiar, and see why they were put there. The rest could just be a distraction.”

“You’ve got a good point. Thanks Tikki, I’ll mention that to Chat Noir.” She gave the kwami a pat on her head in appreciation. 

Abruptly, there was a crash on the other side of the door. “Shut up!” they heard Chat scream. 

Tikki and Marinette shared a horrified look. “Who is he talking to?” the girl asked. Her kwami shook her head to say she had no idea. Glass shattered beyond the door. Something was definitely happening.  _ Cajoler.  _ “Tikki, spots on!” Ladybug hesitated before opening the door. What if she startled him and caused him to run off before they could capture him? But the sound of her partner activating his cataclysm destroyed her delay. She burst through the door and was greeted with a sight she would never have expected to see.

The room was in shambles. Shattered glass littered the ground beside the bed. Despite the danger, Ladybug ran across the room to cradle the person laying in the center of the destruction. He was pale and his cheeks were soaked with tears and blood. A large gash crossed his forehead, created by a particularly large piece of glass. Even with the injuries, the unconscious boy in her arms was still as beautiful as always. Tears of every emotion raced down her cheeks. She breathed his name first with relief, then concern, then utter fear. “Adrien... Adrien? ADRIEN!” He wasn’t waking up. Ladybug leaned close to confirm he was breathing and held her hand to his chest for the feel of his heartbeat. Both vital signs were there, but faint. She lifted him into a tight embrace. Desperation controlled everything at this point. “Oh god, please wake up. I can’t lose you again.” Her fingers were lost in his hair as she supported his head. It was like she had tunnel vision and could only focus on the boy in her arms. The boy she loved. Nothing else mattered. “Wake up…wake up...please…”

After what felt like years, she felt him take a deeper breath. He mumbled into her shoulder. “Marinette?” A wince followed his question.

“Shh… it’s okay, I’m here. You’re safe. I won’t let you go.” Her eyes scanned the room for something to help with his injuries. The one-track mindset she’d been in was dissolved when she made another realization.  _ Where’s Chat Noir? And Cajoler? Obviously they fought, and maybe Chat’s out chasing after Cajoler, but why would Cajoler bring Adrien?  _ She reluctantly removed a hand from Adrien’s head to pull out her yoyo and call her partner. “Come on Kitty, where are you?” No response. She tried again. 

“He’s not going to answer,” a voice spoke again from her arms. She looked down to see Adrien’s bloodshot eyes staring into hers. They looked vacant. No usual sparkle in them. He cleared his throat to speak again. “I’m sorry, Ladybug. I thought you were someone else at first.”

The superheroine was confused by his words, but then she realized that it had been her real name he’d spoken into her embrace. He woke up from a traumatic experience and immediately requested Marinette. A warm and fuzzy feeling threatened to overwhelm her, but the concern for her partner kept it at bay. Ladybug focused on slowing her racing heart so she could speak normally. “It’s okay. But why don’t you think he’ll answer?”

Adrien flinched as he tried to sit up in her arms. She helped guide him to lean against the bed. Once as comfortable as possible, he took a deep breath before answering. “I.. uh, I just know. He’s gone.”

“I don’t understand. Do you remember anything of what happened these past few days since you were taken? Especially what just happened, in this room? Anything could help us. I’m sure Chat is trying to chase down Cajoler right now, but why did the akuma bring you here? It doesn’t make sense.” Ladybug knew she was asking too many questions, but her mind was racing with millions more. 

The blonde leaned his head against the bed and stared at the ceiling like he was looking for the answers. “I remember everything from the past couple days, but none of it is going to be helpful to you.” He looked extremely conflicted and his voice caught in his throat. Ladybug felt like there was more he wanted to say, but he wasn’t sure how to continue. He raised a hand to his head and hissed in pain when his fingers brushed the wound. “I’m sorry Ladybug, can I get cleaned up before we continue this conversation?”

Face flushed in an instant, Ladybug nodded. “Of course! I’ll look for some medical supplies while you do that. And maybe clean up this mess…” There was no way she was meeting his eyes right now. Every nerve in her body was heightened by his proximity. Her skin burned when she helped him to his feet and guided him to the bathroom. As soon as the door was between them, she let out a huge sigh of relief.  _ I’m so glad he’s okay.  _

Some things still weren’t adding up. Ladybug thought out loud as she searched the room for a first aid kit. “Adrien. Of all people, it’s Adrien that he returns. What does he hope to get out of this?” She was successful in her search, so she worked to lay out the exact needs on the living room table. “And why did Adrien say my name when he woke up? He sounded… hopeful? I didn’t think he felt any special way towards me, not like that. There must be some other reason.” Satisfied with her setup, she went to retrieve the broom and dustpan that she’d found on her search. The glass was easy to sweep up, but the blood might prove more difficult, since it was on white marble. “Why hasn’t Chaton called me for help yet?” The last thought was more frustrating than the others. But she refused to believe that he’d been captured. Her partner was smarter than that. Ladybug pulled out her yoyo and called him again. Voicemail. “Chat Noir, where are you?”

“Right here,” a voice spoke behind her. She turned quickly, expecting to see her partner returning with news, but instead just found Adrien standing in the doorway to the bathroom. He was wearing the night clothes she had provided for Chat Noir. His head wound didn’t look as severe now that it was cleaned, but it still needed some bandaging. The sight of him drove all previous thoughts from her mind. 

“Adrien! I’ve got the medical supplies in the living room. Let’s get that taken care of, first and foremost.” Ladybug put away her yoyo and walked into the adjacent room. She heard a disgruntled groan behind her, but when she glanced over her shoulder she just saw the boy walking with his head down. Once they both were seated, she got to work removing any extra glass from the cut. Adrien kept his eyes closed and seemed like he was lost in thought. She wished she could repair the frown on his face as easily as she could bandage his wounds. After applying a few butterfly bandages and gauze, she sat back and let out a satisfied breath. “Finished.”

His eyes fluttered open and he raised a hand to feel the cut again, this time not wincing as his fingers made contact with the gauze instead. “Thanks, LB.”

She chuckled absentmindedly while she returned the unused supplies to the kit. “Chat Noir is the only one who has ever called me that before.” The smile that accompanied her words was tinged with worry for her still absent partner.

“I know,” Adrien said. His hands were clenched into fists and he looked like he was about to explode if he didn’t say something. He kept his eyes closed as he turned to face her. “Okay, I’m ready to tell you everything you need to know, but I need you to just listen for now. Don’t speak, just listen to me. Can you do that?” The model opened his eyes to catch her hesitant nod, and then remained on hers. Ladybug felt like he was staring into her soul with how intently he was focused. He took a deep breath and drove into the explanation. “I know how Cajoler has been spying on his victims. He put a hidden camera in Chat Noir’s bell when he was knocked unconscious during the first attack in Chloe’s room. But that won’t be an issue anymore. There’s an entirely new problem.” He swallowed deeply and took one of her hands in his. “Cajoler wasn’t here tonight. He never actually took Adrien, he just thinks he did because he took his cousin Felix. So Chat Noir isn’t out chasing him right now. This whole mess was his own fault. He lost control of his emotions when he realized that he was to blame for losing Marinette. When he discovered the camera, he used Cataclysm to destroy it.” Ladybug was very confused at this point, but a sinking suspicion was growing in her, encouraged by his words and the many hints dropped over the past few days. But that’s  _ impossible,  _ right? Adrien scoffed at his train of thought. “To hell with all these pretenses. I messed up. Using Cataclysm was stupid and now, I can’t find Plagg. I think he’s stuck in the Miraculous. Master Fu never should’ve trusted a screwup like me.” He released her hand and she was left with a familiar black ring in her palm.  _ Plagg? Master Fu? Oh my god, is this really happening right now?  _ “No. You need your partner, and I promise I’ll do everything I can to still help. I need to fix this mistake. I need to save the girl I love, even if the only thing powering me is my desire to see her safe. But you need to trust me. I’m so much more than the model you see. Marinette helped me realize that. I need to be the guy she sees, and not this depressed mess I’ve been. I’m sorry for the way I’ve treated you the past couple days, but maybe it’ll make some sense now. I hope you can forgive me. Because right now, the only thing I think can fix my ring is the Miraculous Ladybug, and so that means you’re stuck with me this way.” He released the breath he’d been holding in, and all the tension with it. His eyes searched hers for any reaction. “Did that make sense?”

Ladybug was stunned into silence. If what he was saying was real… If he really is… “Are you saying…?”

“Yes. I, Adrien Agreste, am Chat Noir.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm not the hugest fan of this chapter tbh, but the entire situation is just super awkward. I hope you all still enjoyed. Reminder: I appreciate every single comment. It only helps make me stronger.


	15. Six Clues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How is someone supposed to react to that?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter this time, but you'll see why in the end notes. Sorry it took a little longer! I got a little distracted with work and a new Lukanette fanfic idea. Also my boyfriend finally finished watching the show with me, so now I've seen every episode at least twice and he feels my pain from the season 3 finale.

**Chapter 15: Six Clues**

_ Oh no, I broke her. _

Ladybug was not reacting well to his confession, being that she had no reaction. She just sat across from him, slack jawed, staring at the floor, barely breathing. He could see her eyes swimming circles behind the mask as she thought through everything that it meant. Chat Noir and Adrien were the same person. That fact would never be a secret between them again.

Adrien hadn’t wanted to tell his partner this way. He’d hoped that it would be a mutual decision one day, after they’d defeated Hawk Moth, so there would be no feelings of fear or guilt. No one to exploit their identities. But after his disastrous mistake, he couldn’t find another solution besides telling her. She wouldn’t give up looking for Chat Noir unless she knew he was right with her the whole time. And he needed her to know that he was effectively out of commission until he could fix the miraculous. 

A loud sigh drew his attention back to the red-suited girl next to him. “Holy shit, this can’t be real.” She still wouldn’t meet his eyes.

“I’m sorry, LB, but it is,” he tried unsuccessfully to comfort her.

“Chat Noir is Adrien Agreste.”

“Yes.”

“I’ve had Adrien beside me this whole time.”

“Yes, I’m right here.”

Her face suddenly turned a bright shade of pink and she brought her hands to cover the colored cheeks. “Oh my god, I’ve kissed Adrien.”

“True. Not that I remember either kiss, though.”

Finally her eyes flickered to his. They were narrowed as she observed him. “You’re 100% serious? Like, this isn’t all some cruel joke?”

Chat Noir overcame him and he gave her a cocky smirk. “Would I ever lie to you, Bugaboo?”

Ladybug’s face now matched her costume. “I...wow...I-uh, just...wow.”

He reached forward to take her hands from her face and into his own, giving them a gentle squeeze to settle her stammering. “I know we aren’t supposed to reveal our identities to anyone, especially each other, but I didn’t know what else to do. I hope you can forgive me when all this is over.”

She took a deep breath and fixed her eyes on his with seriousness. “I don’t think I can tell you mine yet.”

Adrien was startled. “Oh no, I wasn’t expecting you to, LB! I know how important anonymity is to you. Hell, if I could do all this over again, I probably would’ve told you a little different. Guess it’s good practice for when I tell the next person.”

Ladybug’s eyes widened. “The next person?!”

_ Crap. _ That part slipped out. He shrunk from her gaze and scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “Uh.. yeah. I was hoping I could tell Marinette once we’ve saved her. To be honest, I’ve been dropping hints left and right around her, and she’s clueless so far. But I couldn’t hide my identity from the one I love,” it was his turn to blush. “Especially when she loves me back.”

“Oh,” her lips formed the word but no sound came out. He imagined she was realizing why he wasn’t concerned about Marinette already being in love. She looked away again, across the room, and her voice came out as a tentative hush. “You love Marinette.”

Adrien sucked in a breath when he realized what she must be thinking. Ladybug was supposedly infatuated with him, or at least the posterboy she saw. What a strange turn of the tides. Now it was him turning her down for someone else, and not the other way around for once. Since he knew all too well how that felt, he gently urged her face back to him. “Hey, I still love you too. But it’s just different with her. She knows both sides of me, not just the model. I’ll always love you as my partner. It’s just, when it comes to who I want to spend my life with, I need someone who loves the unrestricted Chat Noir side of me, the side I can be when I don’t need to represent my dad and his brand, the confident jokester; yet who also loves the regular guy, behind the photos in magazines.” 

If he wasn’t mistaken, it looked like Ladybug’s eyes were getting misty. In answer to his thought, she abruptly grabbed onto his shirt and pulled him in, burying her face into his shirt to soak up the moisture streaming from her eyes. He succumbed to the embrace and wrapped his arms around her back. “You silly Kitty,” her voice vibrated through his sternum, “I love you too. Both halves. Adrien is more than just a model and I know that. I just couldn’t let you know how much I really knew him - err, I guess, you.”

Now Adrien was thoroughly confused. “What do you-”

“It’s not important right now,” she pulled away and brushed the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. Ladybug smiled up at her partner. “We need to focus on saving your girl, right?”

He released her from his grip. “Right,” he said with a hint of reluctance. His lady certainly had her ways of making his heart do flips. For a moment there, he almost got lost in her words. But it was time to get back to action. “Got any new ideas?”

Just like that, she was back to being the focused and determined partner he fell in love with all those years ago. Her lips pursed and she started sorting through the photos in front of them. “Well, we know why Adrien wasn’t in any of these photos now. And you, I suppose. Chat you, I mean.”

“I know what you mean. Also we understand how he took these photos. So the target makes sense. It’s a manipulated version of my bell.”

She nodded. “He probably drew those to drive you crazy.”

“It worked,” Adrien snorted, which elicited a slight glare from the heroine beside him. He avoided her look and worked to organize the photos into a rough timeline of when they were taken. 

Ladybug took the small collection of photos that didn’t fit in. “Tikki said we should look at these for answers. The others are a distraction.”

“That makes sense,” he shifted his body on the couch so they could have an empty section of table to lay out the pictures. Besides the 25 photos from the bug, there were only 6 photos left: the crumpled photo of the candy basket, some painted tiles, a red grate, a random storefront with the address written on the bottom, a shovel, and the Seine. It was utter nonsense to him. “I hope you have better luck than I do.”

Her eyes lit up on the storefront. “I know this place! It’s Le Bon Marche. The address is wrong though.” The mask barely hid the lines on her forehead as she thought hard.

“How is it wrong?”

“It should be 24, not 12. Weird.”

“I feel like that’s not a mistake Cajoler would make. It must be intentional. Let's look for other oddities.” He bent forward and studied the closest picture. It was a scenic photo of the River Seine. It was barely there, but Adrien could see a dark red heart outlined in the waters. “Here! A heart in the Seine! Maybe it’s supposed to mean  _ the  _ heart of the Seine. Like the center.”

“Makes sense,” she started to hum encouragingly. “Le Bon Marche is roughly in that area. I found something else.” She held up the photo of the shovel and pointed to a darkened corner. “Does that look like anything to you?”

He recognized the rough shape. “Kinda looks like a 10. Maybe we should start writing these discoveries down?” Driven by her eager nod, he chased down a pen and paper and returned to her side. They spent the next hour in comfortable silence, divided by exchanged theories or observations. At the end of it all, they had a series of numbers as their biggest working point. Besides the 10 and 12, they also had 2 from the candy, and 6 from the tiles. Of them all, the Heart of the Seine was what they felt most confident about, while the grate gave them no answers. Adrien let out a very cat-like growl as he held the photo in question close to his face. “What do you mean?”

Ladybug looked around and sighed, repeating the only theory they’d been able to come up with. “Maybe his printer just ran out of the other pigments, so it’s red. That could mean nothing. Some of the bug photos are red-tinged too. Try and not think about the color.”

“It can’t just mean nothing. It’s here for a reason,” he grumbled. 

He felt the hand of his partner stroking his shoulders with an attempt to comfort him. “I think we need a little break, Chaton. A clear head could be just what we need.”

Adrien didn’t break his focus on the photo while he answered. “Go on ahead. I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“Are you sure?” She trilled. He just nodded. A reluctant sigh left her lips as she stood and stretched. Then, before she departed, she bent forward to place a chaste kiss to his forehead. “Goodnight, Kitty.”

His eyes flicked over to see the earliest hints of sunrise peeking over the balcony.  _ More like good morning.  _ “Same to you, Milady.” The nickname slipped out, probably as a result of his equally exhausted state. Still, she gave a small delighted hum, and then retreated to the bedroom. Adrien settled back on the couch cushions and held the photo above his head. Every variable repeated in his head.  _ Red. 4 bars across. 4 bars down. 25 holes. Red. 25. 4 by…  _ Before he knew it, the repetition lulled him to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the reason it took longer was because I was compiling these clues. I wanted my readers to play along, if y'all want. So below are some gyazo links to the 6 clues. I apologize for my editing skills, or lack thereof. But I didn't want to just go "Oh, I know immediately what this all means! No need to study further. Lets go kick some Cajoler butt!" because I felt like that would be cheating. So I actually constructed the clues. If anyone guesses the location from them, I would be thrilled. In this chapter in particular, comments are hoped for. 
> 
> https://gyazo.com/a451c0ca4569330e9a4f0d019f372824  
> https://gyazo.com/f6c41e2914a13d55de54151e15a46a50  
> https://gyazo.com/bd4ba119933204a17964acc4c114737f  
> https://gyazo.com/c97694e4f45b8bbacc3703ee886146db  
> https://gyazo.com/b941739d42c2318a94e8588446563b67  
> https://gyazo.com/52e87b8c234bed63d284cd7f3d81655d


	16. Scissors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has their own type of torture.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't know how necessary this is this time, but just in case...  
> *TRIGGER WARNING* This chapter contains depiction of torture.

**Chapter 16: Scissors**

When Marinette woke up, something was missing. She was expecting to be asleep in Chat Noir’s arms, like she had been the past couple mornings. It was comfortable now; some of the best sleep she’d ever gotten. But her outstretched arms met empty air. The girl sat up and looked around the room groggily. 

Her eyes lit up when she recognized the blonde hair poking over the back of the couch.  _ My Chaton. Why’d he go to sleep out there?  _ Curious, she made her way out of the bed and walked towards the boy. She shivered when the chill air of the hotel room met her bare arms and legs. The nightset she’d brought probably wasn’t the wisest choice at this moment. Given that she was cold, Chat was probably cold too. She grabbed a spare blanket on her way to him. When she reached the back of the sofa, she draped the blanket over his body and leaned in to give him a hug from behind, allowing her lips to graze his cheek. For some reason, she was feeling extremely affectionate for her partner that morning. It was like her love grew tenfold overnight. There wasn’t even any guilt in her mind about Adrien. All she could think about was the way her Kitty loved her. Strange.

The layout on the table caught her eyes at the same time she felt him begin to stir. Suddenly the events of the previous night came back to her all at once. Chills ran up her spine when she realized that the boy in her arms wasn’t wearing a mask. This wasn’t supposed to be Marinette and Chat Noir, but instead Ladybug and Adrien. Apparently, he had a momentary memory lapse too, because she felt his hand come up to cup her cheek affectionately as he whispered her name. “Marinette,” a smile danced on his lips. 

_ NOPE.  _ Marinette shot down behind the couch with a yelp. She hid her face in her arms and buried her body into the soft fabric of the sofa for good measure. “Tikki!” she whimpered desperately. This was not how she needed her partner to find out her identity, especially now that she knew he was  _ Adrien _ , of all people. The sound of movement on the couch made her yelp again. She could feel the figure leaning over her, and imagined his confused expression. “Don’t look!” she cried. “I forgot to transform.”

“I’m here!” a tiny voice squeaked as the red bug zipped across the room towards them. 

Adrien gasped. “Tikki! Long time no see.” Marinette was briefly confused until she remembered the time they switched Miraculous. Now that whole situation made perfect sense. They’d both removed their special charms to trade them out for Marinette’s jewelry. She chanced a glance to the side to see Tikki staring at Adrien with her arms crossed. 

“What did you do to Plagg?” The kwami was not happy. She flew to his hand and grasped onto the black ring. “He’s trapped. And he is  _ very  _ annoyed.”

The boy shifted awkwardly, but spoke with a glimmer of hope. “He’s okay? You can hear him?”

“The black cat and ladybug miraculous are very closely connected, so I can feel him in there, and sense his emotions.” A little giggle escaped her, easing the tension in the air. “He’s hungry.”

“Naturally,” Adrien said.

“But otherwise,” the kwami continued, “he’s okay. He is very worried about you. I think you scared him.” The seriousness had returned to her voice, but now it was more compassionate. She flew up to nuzzle his face and wipe away a growing tear from under his eye. “We’ll get him back, Adrien. And you’re still Chat Noir, with or without him.”

He cleared his throat. “Thanks, Tikki. I hope you’re right.”

As much as she didn’t want to interrupt this moment, Marinette’s neck was starting to cramp from the awkward positioning in her hiding spot. “Tikki, are you able to transform me?” she spoke up. 

Her kwami drifted down to her side and hummed in affirmation. “I just filled up on some cookies from your bag. All good!” After a breath of relief, Marinette called out the magic words and felt the warmth of the suit embracing her. Seconds later Ladybug was on her feet and crossing around the side of the couch to join her partner. 

The blonde was giving her a concerned look. “Are you okay?”

Those green eyes were going to be the death of her one day. Just looking into them caused her mouth to go dry and her face to flush. “Yeah,” she struggled to hear her own voice through the sound of her rapid heartbeat pounding in her ears. “It was just a really close call.” 

His eyes softened and he gave her a small smile. “I didn’t see anything, Ladybug, I promise. Your identity is still safe from me.” 

God, she felt so guilty. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him with her secret, or even that she was worried he would be disappointed. It was a huge relief knowing that Adrien loved her as Marinette. There were no grandiose expectations that she had to fear living up to anymore. He loved the girl behind the mask, unconditionally. No, that wasn’t why she couldn’t tell him. It was the words he spoke last night that now echoed in her mind. 

_ I need to save the girl I love, even if the only thing powering me is my desire to see her safe. _

If she told him that it was Marinette behind the mask, what would happen then? Would he still have that intense fire driving him? It would probably just be a huge distraction during battle if he had to worry about her  _ fighting  _ alongside him. She already had no idea how she was going to handle watching Chat Noir take on danger now that she knew it was Adrien. This was one risk she couldn’t take. No, for now he needed to remain oblivious. But none of that eased the guilt in her heart. Or the overwhelming desire to kiss him until he was no longer sad. She bit her lip to hold back those thoughts. “Thanks, Chaton.”

He reached for his phone to check the time, and she had to hide a smile when she saw his lockscreen was now a sweet photo of him and Marinette. It was 11 in the morning. They’d gotten at least 5 hours of sleep, which would have to suffice. There was a pressing notification on the screen below the time that sent both their minds into hyperdrive. Cajoler, it seemed, didn’t sleep.

**The Heroes of Paris are helpless against Cajoler.**

It was an alert from the Ladyblog. But since Alya was captive under the villain, it could be expected that he posted it, just like the bomb video. It was a taunt. Adrien’s hand was shaking as he opened the accompanying link. Ladybug shifted closer so they could have an equal view of the screen while he pressed play on the video that popped up. 

Everything was dark, except for his eyes. As usual they gave off a haunting glow. There also was a very dim red light casting him in silhouette and shadowing the wall behind him. When he spoke, his voice echoed. “Citizens of Paris, I believe you have the right to know how worthless your heroes really are. It took them until last night to realize that I had been watching their every move through a camera I hid on Chat Noir. Their ignorance made everything so easy for me. Watch your idols in action, and how I slowly tear them apart.” The video cut to a collection of clips from the bug, all ones that were revealing in their heavily edited version. The first featured the duo on the Eiffel Tower discussing Chloe’s kidnapping, and how Adrien had been hurt. Then Ladybug stood in Adrien’s room, wiping tears from her eyes as she greeted Nino. A bound and defeated Gorilla appeared briefly. Then it was the moments from Marinette’s rooftop and bedroom, the night Chat Noir came to spend the night. Ladybug’s heart tightened when she saw herself from his perspective in the moment he brushed her tear-streaked cheek. Next, he was following her up the staircase in Nino’s house, and they cringed when they heard the floorboard creak and Alya’s scream all over again. The reporters’ words about why her boyfriend was maybe targeted had a whole new meaning now. A dark anxiety gripped Ladybug when she heard Chat Noirs desperate panting as he raced into Alya’s house to rescue Marinette from the bomb. She still remembered the fear that the camera had perfectly captured on her face. That clip ended once they were safe behind the car. Cajoler’s eyes returned to the screen for his continued narration. “Chat Noir managed to save the girl that time, but where was Ladybug? They were starting to fall out of sync, and into my trap.” The following videos had nearly no audio. The microphone in the bug must’ve been damaged in the explosion. Still, what Cajoler could see was bad enough. The walk to the hotel, Ladybug swinging onto the balcony of the room, Marinette on the phone with Nadja Chamack. Adrien tensed up next to her when Manon’s angry face was yelling silently at him through the screen, from when he upset her. His fists tightened when he saw Marinette’s face being covered by the mask before he hid her away. Ladybug reached over to cover one of his hands with one of her own. The only moments displayed from the amok battle were of them struggling, and conveniently avoiding their victory. Then the screen was filled with the photos and Chat’s hands holding the mask, back in Manon’s bedroom. “It took him days to figure out that this was all his fault. And in those days, your beloved Chat Noir destroyed his relationship with Ladybug. I cannot say what has become of him now. Once he found the little present I’d hidden on him, he- well, see for yourself.” 

The final video clip was the most painful to watch. Chat Noir’s hand was surrounded by the familiar black specks of his cataclysm as it descended on the camera. 

Once everything went black, Cajoler returned to the screen, only this time he was not alone. Someone was tied up in a chair beside him, their head covered by a rough bag. The akumatized villain laughed menacingly. “As you can see, your heroes don’t have what it takes to stop me. I’ve already torn them apart. They can’t even solve my riddles to find me. I say, if they really care for this city, they’d bring me their miraculous. But maybe, they don’t think I’m serious about my threats. So Ladybug, this one is for you.” He ripped the bag off to reveal a very dirty and terrified Chloe. A pair of scissors materialized from the smoky form that acted as his arm. Cajoler caressed Chloe’s cheek with the sharp blades, causing her to lean away. Ladybug could tell that she was trying to screen behind the tape over her mouth. Despite everything the girl had put her through, she didn’t want to watch her die. Adrien’s fingers interlocked with hers and squeezed for their mutual fear. A thin stream of blood flowed from a nick below Chloe’s wide eyes. The scissors traced their way up her head to cut the band holding back her blonde locks. Cajoler chuckled maniacally as he opened the scissors and held them close to her skull.  _ Snip.  _ Blonde hair fell to the ground. Tears streamed down to meet it.

Ladybug couldn’t watch anymore. She turned to bury her face in Adriens shoulder. Each slice of the scissors felt like a personal stab. 

After what felt like an eternity, the sounds stopped and were replaced by Cajoler’s voice. “I hope you enjoyed that, Ladybug. I’ll be waiting for your surrender. Don’t keep me waiting too long, or I might test out some other ideas I’ve got. And bring Chat Noir’s ring with you, since I presume you don’t want to carry his corpse.” Another evil laugh rippled from his throat, and it mingled with a low rumbling in the background. Then the video cut off. The final frame featured a dejected Chloe with the world's worst haircut. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I described the scene to my boyfriend, he looked very confused as to why I gave Chloe a haircut. I think we can all agree that the thing she cherishes most in this world is her hair, so the loss of it would constitute torture for her. I didn't want to do anything TOO drastic, after all. Anywho, I am trying to keep up the motivation to finish this story before starting on the next one. I've been way too enthralled with ideas for the Lukanette fanfic I'll try after this one. But I need to give these babies a happy ending in this story. Thanks for reading!


	17. Red X

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when all the clues fall into place?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I've overwhelmed by the support on the last chapter. You all are amazing. 
> 
> That being said, I did take a few extra days with this chapter. Work has been busy and I have been exhausted as a result. But everything is finally coming together in my mind, and since tomorrow is an off day, I might be able to get a lot done. 
> 
> Enjoy this emotional rollercoaster of a chapter!

**Chapter 17: Red X**

“Holy shit…” The words cut the silence that had been hanging between them. Ladybugs fingers tightened around Adriens to the point where he began to lose feeling, But everything felt numb after what they had just witnessed. She spoke the words they were both thinking. “How the hell are we supposed to fight  _ that _ ?”

Adrien looked at her terrified expression and struggled to not make his mirror hers. One of them needed to be brave, even if it was just an expertly constructed front. “You can’t let him get inside your head. All he’s trying to do is convince you that you can’t succeed without surrender.”

“What if he’s right?” Her lips were trembling as she searched his eyes for the answer. 

“He’s not,” Adrien struggled to find the words to justify his statement. A memory from the video gave him just what he needed. “Everything he’s been doing up to this point has been designed to destroy  _ us _ , as individuals and partners, mentally. But his words don’t actually have any meaning. We’re still here. I’m alive, and arguably stronger than before. All he has are empty threats.”

“Empty? He just  _ tortured  _ Chloe.”

His free hand reached up to brush the tear that was collecting on the edge of her mask. “But we’re going to fix everything with your miraculous ladybugs.” He believed it, too. His sleep, while short and restless, did give him a sense of clarity. There was no sense in worrying about what was going to happen, as long as they came out victorious at the end. “We’re the cat and bug team, remember? The saviors of Paris? We’ve never let them down before, and we won’t this time.”

She let out an uncomfortable chortle. “How are you so calm and collected about this?”

Chat Noir still found a way to come out when necessary. He gave her a wink. “I’m just a fool in love, Milady. Nothing can dampen that feeling. And with her love, I can do anything.”

Ladybug finally gave him a warm smile. Her cheeks were a rosy pink beneath her mask, and she turned her face slightly to kiss the hand that still rested on her cheek. “She’s very lucky to have you, Chaton.” Adrien couldn’t help the surprised blush that spread on his face. Damnit, he might not be pursuing his red-suited partner anymore, but his heart still did flips when she gave him that look. He withdrew his hands before they could cause any more trouble. They both cleared their throats awkwardly. She broke the silence first. “So, did you figure out any more clues?”

In fact, he hadn’t. “No, but he just gave us another.” He could see her eyebrows raising beneath the mask. “I know it’s not going to be a pleasant experience, but I think we have to watch the video again. The bastard probably did it that way on purpose. Prolong the torture.”

Her face crinkled in disgust. “I hate him.”

“I know,” he sighed as he rewinded the video to the beginning. This time, he focused all his attention on the ambient environment Cajoler filmed in. Nothing jumped out, besides that irritating red light. It felt so foreign, so  _ intentional,  _ that it nagged at Adrien’s brain. Just when he was about to give up and rewind, his senses picked up on something. He paused the video and studied the frame. “Did you hear that?”

Ladybug shook her head. She was definitely not okay after another viewing. He couldn’t ask her to watch it again. 

Fortunately, he only had to rewind briefly to hear the sound again. Underneath the sound of Cajoler’s laugh (and Ladybug’s responding whimper), was another familiar sound. The deep rumbling was distinctive, and combined with the faintest brightening of the shadows at the end, it lit a bulb in his head. Tossing the phone to the side, he frantically hovered over the table. “Of course! Why didn’t I see it before?” The image of the grate had been burned into his retinas at this point. They red  _ did  _ mean something. He carefully rearranged the bell-bug photos into a chronological order, but in five rows of five. The red tinted photos formed a distinctive shape.

His partner was looking over his shoulder. “An X? What is that supposed to mean?”

“You’ll see,” Adrien hummed with excitement. With the assistance of the smart tv in their suite, he pulled up a map of the metro system of Paris. He descended upon the screen with a sharpie, eliciting a yelp from the superheroine watching. Ruining a tv didn’t matter right now. Shuffling through the photos, he did his best to explain to Ladybug what he was thinking. “I heard a train in the video,” he raised the shovel photo, “and I’m going to assume this means it’s underground, like a metro. The 10 could be Line 10, which conveniently, Le Bon Marche is on.” He circled the location of the store on the map. “That’s where Line 12 crosses with Line 10. Perhaps the reason for the 12 in the address?” Ladybug still looked completely befuddled. He ran his fingers desperately through his hair to help work through the next clues. The feeling of all the pieces falling into place was overwhelming. “Heart of the Seine… of course, the 6th arrondissment!” He circled the metro station that fell where they overlapped. Then he froze. “What’s next?” he growled. 

Somehow Ladybug had silently crossed the room to sit beside him. “I think I’m following your logic, but he can’t be in two places at once. There’s something we’re missing.” She held up the candy basket photo, and turned it so they could see the 2 in the right orientation. “The placement isn’t a coincidence. I think the M’s are supposed to be taken as W’s in this direction. ‘WW2’? Weren’t there some metro stations abandoned during the war?”

“Yes!” Adrien exclaimed. He rushed back to the table and started laughing with joyous relief as he stared down at the red x. Every clue had finally come together. He knew where he could find their enemy. He could save his friends. Maybe he should’ve been apprehensive still, and thinking through other alternative explanations, but his heart was  _ screaming  _ that he was right. That was where this nightmare would end. It wasn’t an X. It was a cross. “Croix Rouge. It’s the station between the two I’ve already circled. Abandoned since WW2. He’s there. I’m sure of it.” Overcome with emotion, his cheeks were sore from smiling and wet from tears. It was a wonderful contradiction. 

Ladybug squealed in equal excitement before rushing to him. The momentum of her hug could’ve knocked him over, but Adrien instead used it to spin her around. Their arms were wrapped tightly around each other, and by the end, they were both breathless from laughter. He set her back on her feet gently, but didn’t let go. Her head rested on his chest right below his chin and it felt so right. Unconsciously, his hand rose to brush the back of her head. She pulled away at this, but only enough so that she could look into his eyes and say the words that sent sparks down his spine. “My Kitty is so smart.”

Adrien no longer had control of his actions. He leaned down to rest his forehead on hers while his free hand went to hold up her chin. He could feel her breath on his lips, separated only by a small sliver of air. Taking a deep inhale, he could smell something familiar. Was that… vanilla? Suddenly he was imagining the mask changing colors to black, and then fading away entirely to reveal Marinette. Call it wishful thinking. This was a compromising situation and his brain was searching for excuses to kiss the girl before him. Her eyes fluttered closed and she leaned closer. Closer. 

Ladybugs lips grazed his cheek when he turned away at the last possible moment. No matter how right this felt, he knew it was wrong. So instead, he just pulled her in for one more tight hug before holding her at arms length. “Let’s go get this bastard.”

Her lips pouted and she looked confused. “Us? Why do you think-“

“Of course I’m coming with you.”

“But without your ring, you could really get hurt.”

“I can take care of myself, and you’ll be there to help.”

“Adrien, this guy is really dangerous. I’m not sure we even know what he’s fully capable of.” Her voice was rising with the panic in her eyes.

“I can be dangerous too,” he said defiantly. There was no way she was going to talk him out of it.

She pushed him away. “No. I won’t allow it.”

The blonde reached for her with a soft expression. “Ladybug-”

“NO.” Her shaking hands were clenched in fists at her side while she hung her head, avoiding his eyes. 

“But we were just talking about how we have to do this together. What changed?” She still wouldn’t meet his eyes. He heard a soft sob escape from her throat. Adrien took a step forward and gently pulled her hand to him. “Cat and Bug team, remember? Nothing is different.”

Ladybug ripped her hand from his grip and hugged herself with her trembling arms. “Everything is different.”

He was starting to lose control of his own emotions. “Why?” he unknowingly raised his voice to ask.

“BECAUSE I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU!” she yelled. Finally her eyes met his, and he felt a stab to his heart when he saw how red they were from her tears. “Utterly, irrevocably, hopelessly in love with you. I have been for years now.”

To say Adrien was shocked by her response would be an understatement. He knew she  _ loved  _ him, as Chat Noir and Adrien. But  _ in love _ ? “Chat or Adrien?”

“Does it matter?” Flames burned in her eyes at his question. “Either way, I can’t watch you risk your life anymore. I just…” He watched her swallow back another sob and rub the tears from her eyes with frustration. Those gorgeous bluebell eyes locked on his and were practically pleading with him. Ladybug’s lip trembled again and she choked on the next sob. “I’m sorry, but I can’t.” With that, the red heroine fled the room. He heard the bathroom door slam, followed seconds later by a bright flash of pink light. She must’ve dropped her transformation.

His knees finally gave up, and he allowed himself to sink back onto the couch.  _ What just happened?  _ He buried his face in his hands and groaned.

A few minutes passed by before he felt a soft touch on his head. He looked up hoping to see Ladybug, but was surprised to find Tikki instead. She held out his mask. Adrien accepted it tenderly though not without hesitation. Once he placed it in his lap, he cupped his hands for Tikki to sit in. She sank into his palms and gave him a sad look. “I’m sorry Ladybug yelled at you. She’s coming to terms with this all still. She’ll realize that she needs you.”

He gave the kwami a shy smile. “Is she really in love with me?” The question fell out of his mouth before he even thought it. 

Tikki giggled. “Absolutely! My chosen is very smitten with you, Adrien.”

One eyebrow raised in question. “Should I have not told her who I was?”

“It’s too late now. I’m positive you both would’ve figured out, sooner or later. But it is an unfortunate obstacle in battle. It always is when Chat Noirs and Ladybugs fall in love.” The little red bug sighed. “She’s on the brink of everything she’s ever wanted, but only just realized the cost.”

Adrien scratched her downcast head with a finger. “I understand. I’ll do everything I can to stay out of danger. But she can’t stop me from fighting.”

“She won’t,” Tikki smiled. “Besides, as I’ve already pointed out to her, Cajoler thinks you aren’t a threat anymore. Might come in handy to have an unexpected partner.”

He smirked. “Awe, you think I’m still a threat?” The tease came naturally to him, like he was talking to Plagg again. 

She shook her tiny hand at him. “Don’t get any crazy ideas. But yeah, you’re very intelligent and strong. You’ve got good instincts. Utilize your strengths, and guard your weaknesses. I think you’ll find that you’ve still got a good bit of Chat Noir in you.”

Adrien nodded with a genuine smile. The kwami rose from his hands as he lowered them to grasp the mask and tie it behind his head. He put up his fist as an invitation. “Pound it?” Another adorable giggle escaped her when she connected her arm with his awaiting fist and echoed his words. 

“Pound it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That chapter was all over the place, tbh. I wrote it in at least 5 separate sittings, so my headspace was different every time. But get ready for the action to take off after this! They know where to find him, the only question is how to defeat him and rescue their friends. 
> 
> Also, I'm toying with two ideas for the ending in my head, and I'm not sure which to go with. When I explained one to my boyfriend, he just said "Holy shit, that's dark. Makes sense, but it's dark." So I guess if y'all want to leave feedback on whether you want the darker ending to the akuma battle or the original. Regardless, the fic will end on a sweet note.


	18. Cages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battle of Croix Rouge can finally begin!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I don't know why I keep doing this, and maybe I need to upgrade the tags and rating, but...
> 
> *Trigger Warning* This chapter contains more depictions of torture. 
> 
> But it also contains cute Ladynoir moments and plenty of puns, so hey, you win some, you lose some.

**Chapter 18: Cages**

Marinette groaned into her hands as she leaned back against the bathroom door. It was so hard to keep her feelings under wrap when it came to Chat Noir,  _ especially  _ unmasked as Adrien. Luckily Tikki was able to go fix her mistake. That’s what the Ladybug Miraculous is best for, anyways. Fixing everything when all hope seems lost. 

Marinette was  _ not  _ feeling very Ladybug right now.

Since she first started using the miraculous to roam the streets of Paris and defeat akumas, her confidence had been growing slowly. Beneath the mask, no one knew who she was, so she was free to take risks and make mistakes. She was still flustered around people she knew outside of her superhero activities when she encountered them as Ladybug, but with her anonymous partner, she could feel free to be herself. So knowing Chat Noir, really  _ knowing  _ him, was a huge setback. Every time an akuma had gone after Adrien, she had thrown all caution to the wind to save him, even neglecting some of her duties. That was how her love could be dangerous in battle. She would do anything for him. 

Chat Noir, on the other hand, always had the same treatment towards Ladybug. He would throw himself in the path of a speeding bullet if it would save her. Now here they were, with their situations directly switched. Her, desperately wanting to protect Chat. Him, desperately wanting to save Marinette. 

They couldn’t risk testing a new dynamic in the face of this villain. Marinette needed to swallow back her feelings and rely on Chat Noir as she normally would. Maybe she could even convince herself that Felix really  _ was  _ Adrien in trouble, to boost her adrenaline. She just needed to get her partner on board. 

Tikki returned right on time. Her nod let her chosen know that everything was okay. After the three simple words, Ladybug took a deep breath and exited the bathroom.  _ I can do this. Confident. He’s just Chat Noir, your partner for years now.  _

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him stand to look at her. He had put the black mask on, helping sell the idea in her mind that it was just Chat Noir standing in front of her. But that was a whole new problem, as the butterflies in her stomach reminded her. It wasn’t only Adrien that she’d fallen in love with. 

She stopped herself about ten feet away and held her hands behind her back.  _ Focus.  _ “I’m sorry, Chat Noir. I shouldn’t have said those things to you. It was unprofessional, and right now, we need to get to work.” She flinched at his sharp intake of air, but it was followed by a nod that had his messy blonde hair falling across his forehead. The butterflies soared. Ladybug pinched her wrist behind her back to redirect the feeling. “I think what would be best right now is for us to go back to the way we were before Cajoler even happened. Forget the events of the past few days except for the ones that matter in defeating him. We work best when you’re making awful puns and I’m ignoring them.” He chuckled, which elicited another wrist pinch for her. At this rate, she’d just need a rubber band to snap every time she felt for him as more than her partner. Chat barely had to do anything to set her heart racing. “I need my partner to do this, and even without your cataclysm, you have shown you’re able to hold your own in battle, whether it be in fencing class, or a silly banana costume.” Now they both chuckled at the memories of him fighting akumas in the yellow suit.  _ Pinch. Ouch. Focus.  _ “Think that’s something you can manage?”

His eyes flickered with mischief. “My lady is  _ asking  _ me to make puns? I’ve been waiting for this day for years. It’s puuuurrfect.”

She smirked and rolled her eyes. She was sure now that the skin on her lower arm beneath her suit was an angry red, but she’d asked for this. “Alright Chaton, you can have your fun after we’ve made a plan.”

“I’ll do my best to keep my  _ cat _ itude under control.” Chat’s attempts to hide his grin were unsuccessful. But they settled down in front of the tv, still displaying the metro map, and did what they did best. They were the Cat and Bug team.

Hours later, they were finally making their way across town. The pair were dressed in all black, hoods pulled over their heads, and Marinette took the lead. It had been her idea to get the different clothes, so that they could sneak up on Cajoler without him being fully alerted by Ladybug’s presence on nearby streets. Not that there was much concern anymore. After his most recent video, the streets were completely empty, save for a few vagrants and rebellious teens. No one that would be eager to post a Ladybug spotting on the Ladyblog. But all precautions had to be taken if their plan was going to work. 

Chat quietly mumbled a direction to her. It felt very strange to be unmasked around him, but he respected her privacy and maintained a safe distance so he wouldn’t see anything. It did make things a little complicated since he was the one who knew where to go. Apparently his father had used the abandoned Metro stations for a photoshoot a few years ago, which is why he knew enough to solve the clues. His gentle voice behind her was always perfectly timed so she knew which turns to make and when. 

She heard his footsteps halt behind her, and the suddenness almost made her turn around. He put his hand on her shoulder to hold her steady. “This is where I leave you, Milady.”

Marinette was shaking still, despite her resolve that this was what needed to happen. Her laugh sounded forced. “What, no pun?”

She could feel his cocky grin behind her. “I’m  _ paws _ itive that this plan will work. You proceed with  _ cat _ ion, and I’ll execute my end so  _ claw _ lessly that he won’t even hear a whisker from me.”

“That might’ve been too much, Chaton,” she laughed, genuinely this time. 

In her mind's eye, she could see him standing at attention and clutching a hand to his chest. “You wound me, madame.” The pair giggled in unison before they remembered their surroundings and the seriousness of the situation. But this was good. This was what they needed. The banter before the battle. 

His hand returned to her shoulder and squeezed. “This cat has to scurry. But we’ve got this, Bugaboo. I puuuromise.” When the weight on her shoulder disappeared, she waited a few seconds longer before turning to see her hooded partner making his way down the Metro steps. Even with the hood up, bits of his blonde hair still peaked out on the sides, shimmering in the moonlight.  _ God, I love him.  _ The pinch felt different without the suit. 

A few minutes of walking later, Marinette ducked into the closest alleyway and called on Tikki. The added agility made it easy to hop over the railings around the stairway to the Croix Rouge. She was thankful that her landing didn’t make too much noise. Not that her task required discretion from this point on. 

Ladybug felt the goosebumps under her suit as she descended into the dark depths. The open concept gave her no way to hide her entrance. Since the fence was propped open, she had no doubt he already knew she was there. At the base of the steps, she took a moment to survey her surroundings. 

The walls were originally white, like the rest of Line 10, but the ghost station had been popular among street artists. While some of the graffiti was pleasant to look at, others had more menacing messages. “Turn Back!” and “Satan resides in the Red Cross!” were some that drew shivers down the superheroine’s back. 

Across the track, there were five cages. 

Since all the occupants had bags over their heads, she had to use context clues to deduce further. The first cage held Chloe, surrounded by the discarded strands of her hair. Her yellow sweater was hardly recognizable anymore with all the mud that now covered it. The rope that bound her arms to her side was tied to the ceiling of her cell, not even giving her enough leeway to move, let alone sit. Next was Adrien - or, Felix.  _ No, that’s Adrien, remember?  _ Her mind forced her thoughts to rearrange so she could believe that lie. Ladybug knew that she had to tell it to herself. The model was strung up in the same way as Chloe, but his chest was bare so the ropes could dig into his arms. Even from this distance, the angry red edges of his skin were evident. His orange shoes weren’t as coated in mud as she would’ve expected, which both helped to identify him, and gave her a sense of relief. Maybe he hadn’t been treated so badly. Her eyes traveled to the next cell, which contained Nino, as evidenced by the discarded baseball cap. Nino  _ hated  _ not wearing his hat. Beside it was his dismembered headphones. The bloodstains on either side of his head covering made her very concerned for what his torture could be. He was the only one whose arms were tied above his head. Given that he was leaning back as far from them as possible, she guessed that whatever Cajoler had done to his ears did not feel too good when his arms made contact. Ladybug’s fist tightened at her side and she forced her eyes to move on. The next sight didn’t help calm her anger. Alya was standing in the center of her cell with her arms spread wide. The moonlight barely reached in enough to bounce off the thin wires that connected each individual finger to the cell walls. She couldn’t move or risk excruciating pain and possibly permanent damage to her hands. She’d never be able to write again, at least not in her favorite way. His tortures were obviously escalating. 

Process of elimination had allowed her to identify Alya, but she was still very confused about the last cage. The figure within was motionless. Whomever it was, they were sitting, arms and legs tied to the chair. On the ground in front of them was a box that seemed to beep and flash rhythmically. Ladybug was too far away to tell what it was, but the beeping sounded familiar.

As the red superheroine was lost in thought, she was completely unaware of the man creeping up behind her. A sudden icy cold snapped her alert. She turned around and yelped at Cajoler’s close proximity. The ominous laugh that emanated from him let her know that he enjoyed her reaction. Ladybug fought down a confident smile as she began to back away from him slowly. “Cajoler. I thought I’d find you here.” Despite her confidence, she was still unsettled by the threat before her. His towering figure was menacing. 

“Ladybug. At last, we meet.” He began his advance toward her, matching her pace step by step. “I was beginning to think you weren’t getting my messages.”

“I got them, loud and clear,” her voice shook through the courage. “You’re a monster. The things you’ve done… it’s all so cruel.”

“I do what I have to. Now, will you do the same?” He held out his hand expectantly.

Ladybug gulped. “You don’t want to talk, first? Give me some villain monologue about how you’ve finally defeated the superheroes of Paris?” She hoped he wouldn’t notice that she was stalling for time. Her mind was fighting every urge to look behind him into the tunnel. Cajoler couldn’t know what was coming. 

His laugh made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. “I haven’t finished my job yet. Though that will change very soon.” He continued his advance. 

Chat on her mind, she spoke without thinking. “You killed my partner. I can’t let you win after that.” 

Cajoler’s eyes seemed to glow brighter at the mention of his kill. She whimpered as she felt the cold tile of the wall behind her. Nowhere else to go.  _ Hurry, Chaton!  _ The akuma finally reached her and rested his hands on the wall beside her head, trapping her in between. His breath was freezing on her face as he hovered over her. “Oh, but I didn’t kill the cat. What happened was his own fault.” She tried to ignore the anger his words dug up in her. Her bluebell eyes finally caught sight of movement in the tunnel. Cajoler leaned closer. “Your eyes give away your secrets. But I knew Chat Noir wasn’t dead. I know  _ everything. _ ” She shuddered when he was close enough to whisper in her ear, for only her to hear. “I know it’ll hurt like hell when you aren’t able to tell your partner who you are. Your fear and hesitation prolonged his torture. Or do you just enjoy playing with his heart?” Ladybug struggled to control her terror, while her eyes desperately searched for her partner.  _ Oh god, where is he? He should be here by now.  _

She saw him walking along the tunnel wall. When he entered the Croix Rouge station, he took in the situation with one quick look. Chat Noir jumped into action and began to climb onto the opposite platform with the cages. Their plan had been for Ladybug to distract Cajoler long enough for him to rescue the hostages. They hadn’t expected the complicated mechanisms that entrapped them. They also hadn’t expected Cajoler’s next words. “Didn’t you know, it was always curiosity that killed the cat?”

Time for Plan B. Using the leverage of the wall behind her, Ladybug kicked Cajoler in the stomach. The feeling of her foot connecting with something solid beneath that smoke was reassuring. He could be hurt. “Chat Noir, this side!” She called out to her partner for help. 

The blonde had already gotten to his feet on the opposite platform, but at her words, he backed up to make a running leap across the divide. 

Everything suddenly felt like slow motion. Something was wrong. Cajoler hadn’t come back to attack her. From the edges of her vision she saw him pull on a nearby rope that had been camouflaged perfectly against the graffiti. She followed it’s path to the top of the metro tunnel. To the weighted net that was rigged above. “KITTY NO!” She yelled, but it was too late. Midleap, he was hit from above. His body cracked against the train rails when he landed. There was no movement beneath the net. Ladybug felt her body grow cold at the overwhelming feeling of loss. 

Her body might be cold, but there were flames behind her eyes as she turned on Cajoler. Yoyo spinning in her hand now, it was her turn to advance on him. She spoke through gritted teeth, venom in every word.“You’re going to pay for that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PHEW! That was a thrill to write. I never expected this story to get this graphic in nature, but I'm not complaining about the direction it's going. Maybe knowing how it'll all end gives me peace of mind. Back when I wrote books, I had a tendency to kill off beloved and major characters in horrible ways, so the thrill is familiar. Maybe I'll share one of those stories one day. 
> 
> That being said, I can assure you that none of our caged babies are hurt beyond repair. Just felt like I needed to let you know. I always anticipate angry comments whenever I have a character get hurt, but you've all surprised me by just being supportive. Thank you again.
> 
> EDIT: I went back and changed the rating and added a few tags. I'm super new to this still, so if anyone can think of tags I can add, please give me suggestions. <3


	19. Lucky Charm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, you just need to believe in yourself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, back at it with a new chapter. This fic is already way longer than I ever expected or planned. But I'm not complaining and so far none of you are either. So shorter chapters no longer phase me. This gosh darn thing is already 90 pages long on my word document. 
> 
> Anyways, as always, enjoy!

**Chapter 19: Lucky Charm**

_ Wake up, kid!  _

Adrien’s head was pounding as he came to. The voice seemed to come from inside his head, which didn’t help when it reverberated around his skull. 

_ Come on, kid, don’t die on me! _

The voice was familiar, but everything seemed fuzzy. He hadn’t opened his eyes yet, and his ears were ringing.  _ Where am I? What happened?  _ The teen tried feebly to get up, but something weighed him down. His cheek pressed against a cool metal surface. It felt nice, compared to all the pain in his body. Everything hurt. Maybe staying put for a bit wouldn’t hurt…

_ Adrien.  _ The voice whined.  _ Ladybug needs you. _

Ladybug. That sounded familiar. Like a distant memory. 

_ It’s not working! Uhh, think Plagg! You’re an immortal being who should know the answer to everything. Though you’ve never been in quite the same situation… My Sugarcube would be so much better at this.  _

Whoever was talking in his head, they were now having a personal conversation with themselves. Adrien tried hard to tune them out. His body wanted to give up, stop trying, and just lay there. 

A loud sound cut through the ringing and voice in his ears. It sounded like a fight was happening. While muffled, he could make out a female voice. “You killed him! What kind of person can torture and kill teenagers like it’s no problem?! You deserve to die for the things you’ve done!” This felt very wrong to Adrien. For some reason, those words didn’t match the person the voice came from. Like it wasn’t something he’d ever expect to hear her say. But how did he know her?

He finally had an image in his brain. Just flashes of one, really. Deep blue eyes. A soft dust of freckles. Soft black hair. Perfect pink lips.

_ That’s it, kid! Live for Marinette! She needs you! _

Adrien felt a warmth spread through his body when he heard her name. Marinette. That must be the wonderful girl that made him feel like this. Where was she? He’d happily get up for her.

_ Let me try something. Adrien, it’s me, Plagg, your kwami. I help you become Chat Noir, one of Paris’s superheros. You fight against akumas with your partner, Ladybug. The current villain has your friends and girlfriend held hostage. Any of this ring a bell? _

Bell. Something about a bell. He’d broken one, right? The thought brought a new pain, this one emotional. What had he done? 

Everything came back to him at once. He was in a metro station trapped under a net on the tracks. And this voice in his head…  _ Plagg! I’m so relieved to hear your voice! _

_ Yeah, yeah. You owe me a lot of cheese after this. _

_ Of course! All the cheese you could ever dream of! But, how can I hear you? _

_ Kwami magic, I guess. In the heat of battle, you started to actually feel like Chat Noir again.  _

_ But I’m not Chat Noir. I broke you. I can’t transform. _

_ Nonsense kid. You didn’t break me. You broke yourself.  _

_ Ouch.  _

_ I’m not wrong and you can’t even argue that. But you are still Chat Noir. It’s not just the ring and your amazing, if I do say so myself, kwami that make you a superhero. You always had the ability to see good even in the worst times. You’re brave and selfless. It was only when you felt weak and darkness took over, that you lost that. Even though the miraculous might need more magical healing, you are already healing yourself. Well, mentally at least. Physically, your situation sucks right now. _

Adrien grunted in agreement.  _ Okay, I see your point. I’m struggling to see how any of this helps me now, though. _

_ Come on, give me more credit, kid. I’m an all powerful being. I might be trapped inside a ring, but I can still help. _

_ You don’t mean… _

_ What do you think?  _

_ Can you still use cataclysm? _

_ No, you can still use cataclysm. It’ll take a lot out of me, so I will be holding you to that promise of endless cheese. But yeah, I think you just need to be ready to fight. This is a one shot chance. No transformation. Just one free destruction from your ring. A failsafe, if you will.  _

_ And if we don’t win? _

_ Then Hawk Moth won’t either. He can’t do the merge with a broken Miraculous.  _

Adrien took a mental step back from their conversation. Was he strong enough to do this? Plagg believed in him. He just needed to see the good within the chaos. And it was a relief to know that no matter what happened, Hawk Moth can’t win this time. Hell, after this ordeal is over, Adrien was going to be more motivated than ever to save Paris from their torment. Yeah, he was Chat Noir, through and through. He was going to fight with everything in him.  _ Okay Plagg, I’m ready. _

_ You know what to do. I’ll see you on the other side.  _

The teen cracked his eyes open. There wasn’t much to see in his current position. Just the floor of the metro, and a heavy duty net covering his frame. No matter how much he tried, there was no way he’d be able to lift it on his own. He’d need the power of destruction.

But something needed to be said first.  _ Hey Plagg? _

_ Hmm? What are you waiting for? I need my cheese provider to get out of this mess. _

Adrien smiled internally.  _ I love you too, Plagg.  _ That shut up the kwami. From their mind link, Adrien could feel his emotions just as much and Plagg could feel his own. The worry and anguish in the black cat’s voice said everything it needed to. The kwami loved him. With that thought fueling him, he quietly called on cataclysm.

Plagg had said it would work, but it was still surprising to see the power come from Adrien’s bare hand. He pressed it against the net and took a deep breath when the net dissolved away. Getting to his feet was the next difficult part. Every muscle in his body was in searing pain, and he was certain that he’d at least broken a couple ribs in the fall. Step by step, he dragged himself to the edge of the platform. Now for the ultimate challenge. He hissed in pain when he raised his arms to grip the edge of the wall. Miraculously, he pulled himself up and over, collapsing again on the cold metro floor from the exertion. 

His arrival didn’t go unnoticed long. Ladybug was at his side in an instant, hands searching every part of him for signs of injury. “Kitty, you’re alive!” She began to cry at her words. The salty tears splashed on his face. His partner brushed them away with her fingers and then bent forward to kiss his forehead with force. It hurt, but he needed the reassurance as much as she did. He was alive. 

A slow clap interrupted their reunion. Cajoler walked slowly towards them. While Ladybug had a couple marks from their fight, he looked entirely fine. “Bravo, Chat Noir. I didn’t think you had that in you. But you should know, I prepared for everything.”

Chat glared at the villain. “What else could you possibly have to hurt me?”

There went that awful, menacing laugh again. Cajoler pulled a remote from the void that was his body and held it up in a taunt. “I’ve rigged up some explosives. One press of this button, and all the hostages will die. And I can promise there will be nothing left of your  _ Princess. _ ” Chat could hear the sneer in his voice. He turned frantically to look, and sure enough, there was a bomb in the last cell. 

The figure in the chair behind the bomb looked vaguely recognizable. Cajoler’s words filled in the blank. Chat let out a horrified whisper. “Marinette?”

Her voice reached out to him, loud and clear, from the cell. “Chat Noir?” She didn’t sound terrified. She sounded confused, and a little curious. Of course Marinette would be brave in the face of danger.

Chat looked back at this villain, now understanding the full extent of his threat. “You want our Miraculous,” he stated, rather than question. It was the same old story. But this time he couldn’t think of a way out. He looked at Ladybug for help. 

She was pale with fear. It was clear that she didn’t have a plan yet either. He watched the light in her eyes go off when she realized something. “Okay, you win, Cajoler. But can we just have a moment alone to say our goodbyes?”

“I don’t see why not. There isn’t really anything you can do at this point. You can have 5 minutes. If I don’t have the miraculous in my hands by the end of them, this button will be pushed.” He sounded victorious, and that confidence was probably the only reason this otherwise cruel man was being lenient.

“We understand,” Ladybug said as she helped her partner to his feet. Chat leaned on her a little heavy, still unsteady from the pain. He had no earthly idea what she was thinking, but he trusted her with his life. She’d never steered them wrong. Cajoler walked away, and they could hear his evil laugh fade into the distance. That wasn’t enough for Ladybug though. She carefully brought Chat Noir to the stairs leading back up to the street. They sat and stared at the floor in front of them.

Chat broke the silence first. “What’s the plan, Milady?”

She buried her face in her hands. “I don’t know. He’s impossible to defeat. There’s a body beneath all that fog, and his akuma must be hidden on it, but nothing stands out. I’ve run out of ideas.”

“No, you haven’t,” he said, pulling her hands off her face so he could look at her. Her earrings hadn’t beeped at all yet, which let him know one avenue that hadn’t been explored yet. “Maybe you just need a bit of luck.”

She immediately perked up at his words. “Of course! I was so distracted by my worry for you that I completely forgot. Lucky Charm!”

They did their best to hide the flash of pink light from their enemy. But neither of them were prepared for what they would find when it faded away. The superhero duo looked at each other with wide eyes. Never had the Lucky Charm given them something so literal before. What could it mean?

There went the light in Ladybug’s eyes again as she came to a realization. Chat Noir was still completely lost. “What are you thinking?”

She smiled nervously at her partner. “Do you trust me?”

“Of course,” he answered without hesitation.

“Close your eyes, Chaton, please. I’ll let you know when it’s safe to open them.”

He did as she asked, but furrowed his brows in the same second. “What’s the plan?” Ladybug’s hands were holding his, and he felt her slowly pull the ring off his finger. A cold feeling settled over him. She couldn’t be thinking of actually giving up, right? Just because of the Lucky Charm? They never came without a hidden meaning. This one couldn’t be any different. Shouldn’t be. He squeezed her hands.  _ Trust her.  _ She squeezed his back and took a deep breath. The shaking in her hands was mirrored in her voice when she spoke. And it was the last thing he wanted to hear right now. It did nothing to calm his fears. 

“Spots off.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh, I just love Plagg. 
> 
> What do y'all think the Lucky Charm is? I promise all will be revealed soon. I have a day off work Tuesday, so I can work all I want on writing. As long as my brain cooperates. I'm surprised, after the insanely busy weekend we've had at work, that I am even able to write now. Some people still can't grasp the idea of social distancing. Le sigh. 
> 
> Oh, I also got myself in trouble by having ANOTHER new fic idea. I need to stop thinking of new ones before I finish this one. But I hope you all would come back and read the others when I do start them. It feels nice to have the support of loyal readers. 
> 
> Thank you all, again. <3


	20. Chains and a Lead Pipe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What emotion could drive a monster like Cajoler?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter went in an entirely different direction than I initially planned, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. After this though, I'm thinking we've got maybe 2 or 3 more chapters left. So, almost there, guys! Enjoy!

**Chapter 20: Chains and a Lead Pipe**

Ladybug had never felt more exposed. Her partner sat before her, breathing heavily through his slightly parted lips, his eyes closed softly. A jolt went through her heart. He really did trust her, even when she carefully removed his ring. Chat Noir squeezed her hands reassuringly. Then she dropped her transformation.

It was dark in the metro stairway, but Marinette still removed her hands from his to cover her face. Peeking through her fingers, she saw that despite his worried pout, Chat still hadn’t opened his eyes. Tikki hovered over his shoulder looking on with concern. The kwami nodded to her chosen when their eyes met. Marinette put on the lucky charm and gave Chat permission to open his eyes.

He stared at her with bewilderment. She knew the miraculous assisted in hiding their identities, so she held her breath waiting for his realization. His hand reached forward to grip her shoulder and brush the hair that rested there. His fingers trailed around to the back to stroke the ribbon that held the charm in place. Marinette could tell that he was struggling with his thoughts. She tilted her head to kiss his forearm as it lay on her shoulder. That, mixed with the vulnerability in her eyes, must’ve been what broke the dam, because the next thing the pair knew, they were holding each other in a desperate hug. 

“I love you, Chaton. I always have, and always will, no matter what awaits us,” Marinette breathed into his neck through the tears that flowed down her cheeks. Tikki flew over and nuzzled her face to dry the tears. 

The boy in her arms took a deep breath. “I love you too, Ladybug. You’re my partner, through thick and thin. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had. I trust that you’ll get us through this.”

She pulled back to look into his eyes. “ _ We  _ will get us through this. My plan would be incomplete without you, just like everything else in my life.”

He let out a pained laugh. “We complete each other, Milady.” As they separated from the embrace, he let out a wince and clutched his ribs.

Tikki rushed to his side. “Adrien, you’re hurt!” Marinette cursed to herself. He’d just been crushed by a heavy net, and here she was hugging him with all her strength. Chat tried waving Tikki off, but the kwami was having none of it. “Just let me help you! Plagg’s not the only one with hidden talents.” Apparently startled by her outburst, the blonde raised his hands at his sides to concede. After a moment of concentration, the red kwami swirled around him at lightspeed, showering him in pink light. When she finished, she sank down into Marinette’s waiting hands and eagerly devoured the macaroon awaiting her. The light settled and Chat Noir took a few experimental stretches to check his pain. “Better?” Tikki asked through the cookie crumbs.

“Yes, actually. Not 100%, but I couldn’t ask that of you. I can fight like this and that’s what matters,” he reached forward to scratch the top of Tikki’s head. “Thank you.”

The kwami hummed and swallowed the last bit of macaroon. A noise in the distance drew their attention. Cajoler was getting impatient. Marinette down at Tikki reluctantly. “It’s time.” Tikki flew up to kiss both their cheeks. Even though the future wasn’t set in stone, it felt like goodbye.

Ladybug’s eyes rose to meet Chat Noirs. “Would you like to do the honors?” She raised her hand to brush the hair back from her ear, exposing the earring. His hands were shaking as he removed them. One hand lowered to put the miraculous in her hand, joining his own ring. The other hand burrowed itself further in her hair. The charm started to slip. Inadvertently, he must’ve losened the ribbons holding it in place. “Chaton, my mask,” she whispered, only half concerned about the predicament. It didn’t even seem to phase him. Within seconds, the ribbons were expertly re-tied, and it felt even more secure than before. That explains how his mask had stayed on so well. 

The Lucky Charm seemed straightforward. But they never are. Initially, Ladybug had been startled to find the red and black mask in her hands. Why would the Lucky Charm give her another mask, when she already had the one granted by the miraculous. When she had looked up, her vision highlighted the mask on Chat Noir’s face and his ring. The answer gave her goosebumps.  _ We need to give him the Miraculous.  _

“Chat Noir?” the voice from the last cage asked again. He jumped to his feet.

Ladybug went to his side. “Kitty, it’ll be okay. We’ll save her.” It still felt weird and wrong to lie to him like this, but at least she didn’t have to think of an excuse as to why Marinette wasn’t among the hostages. It seemed Cajoler had set up a dummy with voice tracks from the bell-bug. There was still a lingering question though: where does Cajoler think the real Marinette is? His evil laughter drove the thought from her head. There was no more time to delay. “Are you ready?”

Chat grabbed her hand and squeezed tightly. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

_ You’ve done well so far, Cajoler. But don’t underestimate them. Ladybug still has one trick up her sleeve. _

Cajoler scoffed behind the purple mask as Hawk Moth spoke in his mind. “I know how to handle a couple kids. Let’s not forget who actually managed to succeed on his first try. What is this for you, try number 1000? More?”

Hawk Moth growled.  _ I’ve had about enough of your arrogance. Just finish the job and bring me the miraculous. Then you’ll get your payment and we’ll never have to see each other again.  _

Cajoler laughed in response. From the distance, he could see the teens still holding each other. He pushed the button for the speaker with a roll of his eyes. Chat Noir stood without a second thought and stared towards the decoy. The mercenary couldn’t help when his laughter grew at the idiocy of this kid. Everyone was an idiot compared to Cajoler. They hadn’t even figured out his real intentions.

Step by step, he slowly approached the heroes. “You know, Hawk Moth, I’ve been doing some research of my own. I needed to know what this mission entailed. And I’ve learned some pretty interesting things,” he smirked.

_ Shut up, you fool. I want to enjoy my victory. _

When Cajoler was face to face with the teens, he raised the remote tauntingly and held out his other hand. “Tick tock, kids. Your friends don’t have all day.” He was grinning ear to ear and laughing internally at the pathetic mask that the girl wore. Hiding her identity was pointless to him. Ladybug’s face was set with anger as she released the jewels into his grasp. 

_ Finally!  _ Hawk Moth exclaimed in his mind. 

“That’s what you think. But this isn’t your victory. It’s mine.”

**_WHAT?!_ **

“Infinite power is worth more than the measly sum you’re offering. I’m keeping these for myself.” Cajoler tightened his grip around the miraculous while the disgraced former heroes gasped in horror. 

_You forget that I control you._ Hawk Moth spoke furiously in his mind as he used his influence to bring pain to his akumatized victim. _You_ ** _will_** _bring the Miraculous to me._ ** _NOW._** His voice barked the command. Brought to his knees by the sudden pain, Cajoler reached for the shades on his face, hidden behind the mist. They were illuminated with a bright lavender light. _What are you doing now?_ Now the man behind the akuma sounded alarmed. **_NO!_** With strong fingers, the mercenary cracked the glasses in half, breaking the mental connection with Hawk Moth and releasing the purple butterfly. 

Cajoler got to his feet victoriously. “Try to stop me now, Old Man.”

As soon as the powerful jewels left Ladybug’s hand, she felt the fear in her stomach grow.  _ I hope this works.  _ Despite the lost connection to her miraculous, her eyes still highlighted a nearby metal pipe and chain, discarded among the ruins. She squeezed the hand that still held Chat’s, and gestured with her head to the objects. He subtly nodded in recognition. Their attention was drawn back to the one side of the conversation they could hear between Cajoler and Hawk Moth. “I’m keeping these for myself.”

Ladybug fought to hold back a smile. Their plan was working perfectly. Within seconds, the misty figure was on his knees. The pair of heroes moved as quietly as they could to grab their improvised weapons and circle behind their enemy. After breaking the akumatized object, he stood, staring eagerly at the prize he held. 

Even without the powers bestowed by Hawk Moth, the man who appeared beneath the smoke was a force to be reckoned with. His large biceps bulged from the sleeves of his gray t-shirt. A buzz cut indicated a potential military background. He was nearly the size of Gorilla, but still sleek enough to have agility and dexterity. Despite this, the duo was still ready when he turned to look at them with an amused look on his bearded face. “Isn’t that so pathetic? You still think you can def-”

What he was about to say was abruptly cut off by a swift hit from Chat Noir. As expected, the advanced reflexes that Cajoler had become accustomed to in the past few days weren’t compensated for by the behemoth. The pipe was the perfect weapon to land a blow on Cajoler’s neck, momentarily cutting off blood flow to his brain with the collision to his carotid artery. He fell to the ground in a dead faint.

“Quick, Chaton! The remote!” Ladybug bolted for the hand that held the miraculous while her partner chased the remote that had slid away from the body. He held it up and gave her a thumbs up and smile. She returned his smile and tossed him his ring. “Silly Kitty. Keep this safe.” Every nerve in her body was humming with excitement. They had succeeded! The plan worked! But a small knot of apprehension still weighed heavy on her as she knelt beside the enemy to put her earrings back on. 

Tikki exited the jewels with a beaming smile. “You did it! I knew you were the best Ladybug I’ve ever had.”

Marinette giggled. “Okay Tikki, spots-”

A sudden force choked the words from her throat. The faint didn’t last long enough for Cajoler. The man looked furious as he stood, bringing his helpless prey with him. Ladybug struggled, which only made his grip on her neck tighten. She began to see spots and blackness in her vision. Chat’s battle cry seemed distant as she struggled to breathe. Their enemy fought off her partner with his one free arm expertly. Every move he made to avoid Chat Noir sent pain through her body. “Tikki,” she managed to squeak out as she descended into darkness. But just before she fell, the grip vanished from her throat and she found herself being caught by the strong arms of Chat Noir. 

He cradled her close as he sprinted away from the body that lay on the floor for the second time that night, though this time just dazed and confused. “Good thinking, Tikki!” Adrien gasped.

“What happened?” Ladybug croaked out. 

“Your kwami dropped that heavy chain on his head while I distracted him! It was awesome!” The childish excitement in his eyes made her heart swell. Even in the heat of battle, he still found wonder.  _ Damn, I love him.  _ He observed her with concern. “You okay?” She hummed in response, since words were proving difficult. Now a considerable distance away, he gently placed her on the ground. “I think it’s time for a little miraculous magic, then.” 

His grin made her helpless. Ladybug leaned forward and captured his cheek with a swift kiss. Utilizing his stunned silence, she held a hand over his eyes while she removed the Lucky Charm from her face and called on her transformation. Fully Ladybug again, she captured the retreating akuma, then put her hands back to her sides and fiddled with the mask. Everything had worked out just as they planned. The mask concealed her identity, the pipe disabled their assailant, and the chain saved her life. A perfect Lucky Charm. She could feel Chat’s eyes on her, so she looked into his inquisitively. 

“How did you know he’d do that?” the blonde asked eagerly.

Ladybug swallowed. Her throat already felt better from the effects of the suit. “Every Akuma is driven by their primary motive first and foremost. There was no one he was out to protect or get revenge on, so the motive must have been personal. Greed is a powerful feeling. He wouldn’t be able to give up so much power once he obtained it.” 

“Brilliant,” he chuckled and bit his lip with giddy glee. He repeated her earlier words with a gesture to the mask in her hands. “Would you like to do the honors?”

Using her power had never felt so good. “Miraculous Ladybug!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *laughs mischievously*
> 
> I originally planned on having Chat Noir and Ladybug actually full fledged fight Cajoler with their weapons after handing him the miraculous, leading to them discovering the akumatized glasses and breaking them. But since I decided to go with the darker ending, this happened. And no, lovelies, this isn't the dark part yet. Cajoler didn't go down that easy. :) 
> 
> I hope you're all still enjoying! Thanks for sticking around!


	21. Necessities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Does anyone really have what it takes to do what is necessary?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! This chapter was hard to write, tbh. I didn't want it to seem forced, but I couldn't drag it out either. I hope I succeeded on both fronts. Enjoy!

**Chapter 21: Necessities**

When the pink glow faded, Adrien felt a rush of healing overcome him. It was more than the small repair Tikki had done. This was a powerful fix, working through all the negative emotions Cajoler had convinced him to feel. His head felt clear for the first time in days. Adrien smiled down at the ring on his finger which had returned to its silver state. Plagg groggily flew into his pocket in search of cheese. He let him go, because he had promised him the energy, but he knew Plagg would be spoiled when they got home. 

Ladybug got to her feet and started towards the captives. Their cages were gone with their bindings, so all that remained were four scared teenagers, relieved to be saved. Alya and Nino were hugging each other tight between kisses. Chloe was trying to hug Felix, but he was ignoring her embrace. But someone was noticeably missing. All that remained from the 5th cell was an empty chair. 

“Marinette!” He shouted before he could help himself. Adrien scurried over the gap to search for the girl. Ladybug was checking on the captives individually and beginning to escort them to the exit, but the blonde hero could only worry about one.  _ Where is she? Everyone else is here!  _ There was only one person he could get the answer from. Plagg was probably refueled by now, so he called on his transformation and ran to the man who was once Cajoler. He stared him down and spoke through gritted teeth. “Where’s Marinette?”

Despite his defeat, Cajoler still had the audacity to smirk. “Ask your partner. I never had the girl to begin with.”

“Ladybug?” Chat Noir choked out. Then louder, more of a call. “Ladybug? Where’s Marinette?”

She seemed to be intentionally avoiding his gaze. Someone else caught on to his question. “Yeah, where is Marinette? Last time I saw her was when I was abducted.” Leave it to Alya to speak up in concern for her best friend. Now Ladybug couldn’t avoid the question. Chat vaulted across the gap and stood beside the defiant reporter waiting for the answer. 

Ladybug looked nervous about their inquest. “M-marinette? She’s… she’s… safe at home?”

“You couldn’t possibly know that. Your Miraculous Ladybug didn’t send any other hostages home. And Cajoler claims he never had Marinette.” Chat was becoming irritated at his partners avoidance. 

Alya supported his point again. “I haven’t seen or heard her, except those recordings Cajoler played.”

“Wait, what? Recordings?” Now Chat’s interest was directed towards Alya. 

“Yeah, he had me look through hours of footage for any time Marinette said your name, so he could trick you with the voicebox and mannequin. He got mad whenever I asked why, so I just did what he said. I only found one significant time that fit his needs, and that was when she first saw you on her balcony.” Alya shied away from his incredulous stare, but a playful smirk danced on her lips. “You got a thing for my girl, Mr. Superhero?”

Chat fought back his blush as he returned his gaze to the blue eyes of his partner. He found himself with more questions than he began with. “So Marinette was never here? Where did she go while we fought the Puppet?”

The red heroine bit her lip in thought. “She needed to go somewhere safe.”

“She wasn’t safe with me?”

“Well, evidently not…” Chat’s audible gasp instantly brought Ladybug’s widened eyes to his. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that. I know you care about her a lot and-”

“Blah blah, Marinette this, Marinette that. Can we go home already? I need an intense spa night after all this.” Chloe made her way between the group with an exaggerated sashay of her hips. “Same probably goes for my Adriekins.” Felix just scoffed and rolled his eyes. 

Nino rushed forward and grabbed the mayor's daughter forcefully to pull her towards the exit. “Come on, we’ll gladly let you go home.” Alya followed her boyfriend out reluctantly. She probably wished she could get some interviews from the heroes, but knew this was not the best time. Felix lagged behind the trio begrudgingly.

As for Chat Noir and Ladybug, he was staring down at his tightened fist in anger while she reached a hesitant hand out. “Kitty, I-”

“Where is she?” His words were barely a whisper in the tunnel. Paris must’ve returned to a sense of normalcy upon noticing the Miraculous cure, as a metro sped through the station, washing the pair in wind. The interruption irritated Chat Noir. He just wanted to know the answer, not another dodge. Why was Ladybug hiding Marinette from him? Green eyes searched blue for any clue.

When the metro finally passed, they were reminded that they weren’t alone. While their friends had long since retreated from the Croix Rouge, their defeated enemy still stood on the other side of the station. He was giving them a sinister, almost deranged, smile. Chat was surprised by Ladybug’s hand grabbing his for comfort, but then he saw her expression. “Let’s get out of here. I can explain more when we’re alone.” He didn’t refuse when she pulled him after her to the stairs leading back up to the street. 

The cool night air was a comfort on its own after the ordeal they’d faced. Last time he felt it, he wasn’t sure he ever would again. The direct moonlight also made it easier to interrogate his partner, though seeing her vulnerable expression, he decided to go easier on her. Chat rested a hand on her shoulder while still holding her hand in his other. “Hey, LB, talk to me.”

Her intense blue eyes looked misty as she looked up at him. “Chaton…” She raised her free hand to his chin and gently explored his face with her fingertips. “Adrien…” she chirped with a soft smile. The pads of her fingers grazed his lips. “Kitty…I know this will be hard to explain, but- HAWKMOTH!” He could see the reflection of a tall figure landing behind them before she practically tackled Chat back into the stairwell. They peered over the edge to see Hawkmoth himself descend into the opposite entrance. The pair cursed under their breaths. Of course he’d come for the Miraculous. Last thing he knew, Cajoler had them and intended to keep them. Ladybug silently motioned for Chat to follow her back down so they could observe the interaction. 

This was probably the perfect time to catch Hawkmoth, but they needed to see what he intended to do before they jumped into action. As with any akuma battle, they needed to size up their opponent. So they settled at the base of the stairs to watch Hawkmoth confront Cajoler.

There wasn’t any hesitation from the supervillain. He got within a few feet of his prey and stood confidently, like a man who was used to getting his way. His voice still shook with anger. “Where are they?”

Cajoler laughed. “Gone. You’re too late.” 

A gloved hand tightened on the cane it held. “And the Miraculous?”

“They got them back.”

“So you failed.” Hawkmoth's voice was sharp enough to cut. 

“Our contract said I had to get them, not that I had to keep them. So you still have to pay me.” Cajoler looked smug in the face of pure evil. 

“What?! Insolent fool. You think I’m still going to pay you after you betrayed me? All you’ve done is proven how useless you are.”

“Useless?” The mercenary laughed harder, almost mockingly. “I seem to recall you failing repeatedly, while I succeeded on my first try. I think your problem is that you’re unable to do what is  _ necessary  _ because you have things holding you back. That is why I never had children.”

Chat Noir caught Ladybugs confused eyes.  _ Hawkmoth has a kid?  _ That was a new revelation.

“You leave my son out of this.” Hawkmoth growled.

“Raising him is another thing you fail at. I imagine you couldn’t even protect him, if  _ necessary.  _ And one day soon, it might be  _ necessary. _ ” Cajoler’s threat was very thinly veiled.

“Don’t you threaten my son like that. I do what I have to, all of this, for him.”

“I don’t buy that for a second. You’re doing this for yourself. You can’t live with what you’ve done to her.”

Hawkmoth looked genuinely shocked. “H-how do you know about her?”

Cajoler’s smirk was twisted. “Like I said, I did my research. The way I see it, you have two options. You can either pay me the money you owe, or I’ll kill your son.” Hawkmoth seemed to be weighing his options, which was seriously messed up considering it was literally life or death. It wasn’t a good idea to hesitate in front of someone while bargaining. Provides the perfect opportunity to raise the stakes. “I could reveal your identity while I’m at it. Paris would love to know that well kept secret.”

Hawkmoth didn’t take kindly to that threat. Lightning fast, his hands were around Cajoler’s throat. His eyes were burning with hatred. Chat Noir worked through the thoughts that must’ve been running through his head. If Cajoler knows his identity, it’s something he can constantly blackmail him over. He’d be permanently on his payroll and in his debt. Hawkmoth didn’t seem like the type of person who would accept being under someone. But could he do what was  _ necessary?  _

“See? Your secret means more than your son’s life. Don’t try fooling yourself anymore. Which choice will it be?” Even with his face rapidly turning purple, Cajoler still managed to speak calmly. 

Hawkmoth turned with the man in his grasp, dragging him across the floor as he went. “I named you well. But I won’t let you deceive me with your words. You no longer have the power to make me believe your lies.” The supervillain reached his destination and forced the man to his feet, moving his grip to the shirt on his chest. Cajoler’s feet were barely brushing the edge of the metro platform as Hawkmoth leaned him over the tracks. They could no longer see his face, but Chat imagined the mercenary was terrified. “So what if I make a third option?”

Cajoler’s voice was straight, derailing Chat’s suspicions. “I have information you might be interested in. I can still be valuable.”

Hawkmoth pulled him in close to spit the words in his face. “What could you possibly offer that would make me change my mind?”

“Ladybug and Chat Noir’s identities,” this time, the man sounded smug again. The superhero duo stiffened at the mention of their civilian identities. They got ready in case they needed to spring into action. “I discovered them while researching. That has to be worth something, right?”

Contemplating, Hawkmoth let Cajoler lean further over the edge. Then a cruel smile bloomed beneath the mask. “If an imbecile like you figured it out, I’m sure I can too. You are of no more use to me.” Then, he did something unexpected. He released his grasp on the mercenary and let him fall to his knees on the platform. “You almost got me there. But I’m not a killer. I’m trying to save a life. I won’t end one. Especially one so beneath me.”

“So,” the kneeling man said with a smile. “You’re going to give me my money then?”

“No. I’m sparing your life, and leaving you with the knowledge that I  _ could  _ kill you if you ever think of betraying me.” Hawkmoth turned his back and began walking away, holding his cane elegantly like nothing had happened. Ladybug started making her way back up the stairs to catch him on the way out, but Chat Noir was mesmerised by the situation. He was frozen in place, only able to listen to Cajoler’s persistent laughter. 

“Killing your son will be easy. I’ve already almost succeeded, twice. It would be so deliciously evil if I managed to make it look like  _ you  _ did it. I wouldn’t even have to fabricate much evidence for your motive. You’re strict, cold, and controlling. You don’t love him, you just use him. And worst of all, he looks so much like his mother that you can’t bear the sight of him. Perfect recipe for disaster.” Hawkmoth stopped in his tracks, but didn’t turn around. Chat Noir could hear Ladybug above him at the top of the stairs whispering for him to join her, but he couldn’t tear his gaze away.  _ Why is Cajoler taunting him? What does he have to gain? _

Maybe he has nothing to lose.

“There are so many things you don’t know yet. So many  _ betrayals  _ in your future. Even if you do succeed someday, you’ll fail. Your son will never love you once he knows who you are. What you’ve done. Killing him now would be a merciful death.”

“Shut up. You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Hawkmoth kept his back turned, allowing Chat to see how tense Cajoler’s words made him. 

“I know more than you do. And soon, all of Paris will know. All because you won’t do what is  _ necessary.  _ You’ll keep losing over and over again if you don’t get over this block. So telling the world would end your suffering early. You can rot in jail, knowing that you’re the only one to blame.” Cajoler’s following laughter was the most unhinged and demented it’s been. He threw his head back, allowing Chat to see his crazed eyes and deranged smile. This was a man who had one desire left: convince Hawkmoth that he was irreversibly the villain. Push him over the edge. The final con. He didn’t need an akuma to do damage. “PEOPLE OF PARIS!” He yelled through the haunting laughter. “HAWKMOTH IS WEAK! HE CAN’T EVEN KILL A MAN!” The man in question finally turned to look at his accuser with horror in his eyes. “YOUR CONTINUED TORMENT IS BECAUSE OF HIS COWARDICE! HE WON’T EVEN LEAVE THE HOUSE AS A CIVILIAN!” Hawkmoth now looked positively livid. He slowly advanced on the kneeling man, who remained oblivious as he continued to scream into the ceiling. “LISTEN HERE, PARIS! YOUR SO-CALLED HAWKMOTH IS NONE OTHER THAN GA-”

The words died with him as Hawkmoths cane snapped forward, sending him flying in front of the oncoming metro. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we have reached the dark ending! Not the real ending of the story, because there are still two more chapters, but the end of Cajoler. Chat Noir is not going to be okay after witnessing a murder like that.
> 
> I hope to get the next chapter out soon, since this one took a while, but no promises. My next off day is 6 days away. I hope you'll stick around still for the remaining fluff and comfort. Thanks again for reading so far! <3


	22. Statue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why is it worth it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Real chapter time! I actually had an entirely different plan for this too, but in the moment, it felt right. I'm positive it still will. Let me know what you think!

**Chapter 22: Statue**

“Tikki, is he going to be okay?” Marinette was sitting in her room in anguish, worried sick about her kitty. When he’d exited the subway tunnel, his face had been pale and slack. She barely managed to get a rough idea of what he’d seen out of him before he just pushed her off, saying he needed to go for a walk and clear his head. It still seemed impossible to believe. And she’d been so distracted by Chat Noir that she completely missed Hawkmoth exiting the metro station. There went that opportunity. Having nothing better to do at that point, Ladybug took a brief tour around the city making sure that her friends had gotten home safely, before dropping through the trapdoor into her bedroom. And that’s where she’d been for the past half hour, scrolling through the updating news about the victim hit by the metro. 

The kwami nestled into Marinette’s shoulder. “He will be, eventually. Everyone reacts differently to death. Murder is a completely different story. But he isn’t the first Chat Noir to witness a horror that couldn’t be reversed. Most of them have come out the other side fine.”

“Most?” Marinette made eye contact with her kwami through the nearby mirror. She hadn’t missed that subtle outlet. 

“Yes. It all depends on their Ladybug.”

The bluenette groaned. “I don’t even know where to start when it comes to helping him.”

Tikki flew around to look at her chosen directly. “Yes you do. You always know how to help a friend in need. That’s what makes you the perfect Ladybug!” Marinette lowered her gaze dejectedly. “I promise, it’ll be clear what needs to be done. He’s Adrien, therefore you love him. And that’ll be enough.”

At this, the girl finally looked back up to her kwami and held up a finger. “Correction: He’s Chat Noir, therefore I love him. I don’t think it ever truly was love until I knew they were the same person. I was missing a part of the real Adrien, but now I’ve found it. And I love the person I see.”

Tikki hummed with satisfaction, noting the smile on Marinette’s face. 

Now all that remained was to tell him that she loved him. But where was he? It had been at least an hour since she’d last seen Chat Noir walking down the street away from her, with his shoulders drooped and his head hung. She briefly considered searching for him as Ladybug, but figured it could be trouble suddenly arriving at the Agreste Mansion and running into Felix. No, Chat was worried about Marinette. Eventually he’d come see her. She just needed to be seen.

Her body moved with her thoughts, and before she knew it, she was leaning on the cool railings of the balcony. A faint glimmer in the moonlight caught her eye. Just a couple rooftops away sat her partner. He was leaning back and looking up at the stars with a frown on his face. 

That just won’t do. Not at all. 

He hadn’t noticed her, but her mind had been sparked by an idea. Tikki was right; it was clear what she needed to do. Marinette quickly ducked back into her bedroom and threw on a pair of shoes. Practically flying down the stairs, she almost ran head first into her parents. They looked amused at her blushing face. 

“Going somewhere?” Her father smirked.

“Uhh, yeah… I need to take a walk. There’s a friend I really have to talk to.” Marinette had considered using a lame excuse, but for some reason, it didn’t feel necessary. She hadn’t even let them know she had gotten home from her Cajoler “kidnapping”, so she was already on thin ice. To be fair, she had assumed they’d be asleep by now. “I’m sorry Maman and Papa, I got an escort home from Chat Noir and just got back! I’m okay, no need to be worried.”

“Uh-huh,” her father said sceptically. 

Her mother, on the other hand, pulled her in for a hug. “We’re very glad you’re safe, dear.”

“Thanks, Maman,” Marinette sank into the hug. She’d genuinely forgotten how much she missed her parents while she’d been away.

“If we didn’t know any better, we would have been worried sick.” Her father put his arm around her shoulder to include himself in the hug. “But that Chat Noir, he’s a good kid. I knew he’d protect my baby girl.” 

At this, Sabine pulled away and poked his arm playfully. “Our ‘baby girl’ can take care of herself, Tom.”

The daughter beamed with misty eyes. They were always so supportive of her, even when she didn’t deserve it after all the excuses. Over the years they’d gotten easier on her, so part of her wondered if they knew about her secret life. If they did, they trusted her enough not to ask.

Maybe she thought too soon. “Are you going to tell him?”

“Tom!”

“What, Honey? I’m invested.”

“We agreed not to pry!”

“I’m not prying, I’m- okay, I’m prying, but I just am so happy my daughter has found love!”

“What are you talking about, Papa?” Marinette was thoroughly confused, but there was an inkling that she knew what he meant.

“Nothing, dear,” her mother said with a smile. “You go talk to your friend. But don’t stay out too long! Tomorrow is a school day, remember?” Sabine’s question was rhetorical as she pushed her stuttering daughter out the door. 

_ Yeah, they definitely know something.  _ Marinette thought to herself as she exited her home. That’s a problem for another day. 

Positioning herself in front of the building that Chat had chosen, she cupped her hands around her mouth to amplify her voice. She sang the tune that she knew by heart at this point, after years as his partner. “Little kitty sitting on a roof all alone without his lady.”

Shivers went down her spine when his green eyes caught hers from the rooftop. They widened in surprise. It took a few seconds before he actually moved, sliding off the roof to land adeptly on his feet across from her. There he stood, watching her with those curious cat eyes. “Princess?” He whispered. 

“Hi Kitty,” Marinette smiled warmly. She approached him eagerly, but noticed the caution in his expression, so she paused at arms length from him. He tentatively reached out a hand to touch her arm. It was almost like he needed proof she was real. Once his gloved hand made contact, a small smile formed on his lips. 

The smile vanished and was replaced with concern. He held her arms and looked her body over, searching for signs of injury. “Are you okay? I’ve been so worried.”

She stroked his cheek. “I’m perfectly fine, I promise.” Chat still seemed hesitant. She pulled his hands from her arms and looped them around her back encouragingly. “I’m not going to break.” 

Chat Noir immediately tightened his embrace around her. One hand tangled in her hair while the other clutched the small of her back. He held her like she was the only thing keeping him grounded. With her arms around him, Marinette could feel him begin to shake with sobs. “I’m so happy to see you,” he wept into her neck. “I thought he had you. I was so worried that you were being tortured because of me. I’ll never leave your side again.”

The bluenette pulled back to kiss his cheek and gaze into his eyes. “Don’t be silly. This kitty has to go home sometime, right?”

“I prefer your home. Mine is… complicated. I don’t want to go back, at least not tonight.”

He looked so sad. “Okay, we can work with that. Want to tell me what’s wrong?” Ladybug knew all too well, but Marinette needed something in order to comfort him.

Chat’s eyes fell to the ground. She worried he wouldn’t answer, but after a pause he took a deep breath and returned his gaze to hers. Now the look was different, desperate and conflicted. “Do you ever worry about life being too fleeting? We go about every day not even thinking that any second could be our last. But it could. Everything can end in an instant. Yet I put myself in danger constantly to fight these akumas. Is it worth it? Before, I didn’t consider what my future held because I thought it was all planned out for me. Now, I want to create my own future, with someone I love. I can see it so clearly and I want it so badly. I don’t want to risk losing it. I can’t risk losing you.” His eyes were still swimming with tears, but they refused to spill over. 

Marinette brushed the tears away. “Is this about Cajoler?” He nodded in response to her gentle question. “Chaton, I promise you won’t lose me. And in case you still don’t believe me, I need to show you something. Follow me.” She pulled away from the hug and tugged on his hand. He only gave brief surprised resistance. It was a short walk to their destination, but they quickly settled into a comfortable pace. Hand in hand, they entered the park. There stood the statue of Ladybug and Chat Noir in celebration of them. All these years later, and it still was an awe-inspiring piece of art. 

Chat swallowed deeply beside her when they stopped before it. “Why show me this?”

He was looking at her curiously, but her eyes were on the statue. “Because you need a reminder of why it’s worth it. Why you fight every day. You’re a hero, Chaton. You were chosen because of your selflessness. I know you’d give your life for the citizens of Paris if that was required, but you're not alone. There’s Ladybug, and the other heroes occasionally on the team. Just because they fight doesn’t mean they don’t care about the future. It means the exact opposite, in fact. You fight to save Paris so that a future like what you imagine can be real, for more than just you. As long as you have those intentions, everything you do is worth it.” Marinette squeezed his hand reassuringly. “I’ve always been amazed by the strength and determination you show, every single day. Years ago, I didn’t think much about you because I was so head over heels in love with Adrien. I never knew it was possible to fall in love with the same person twice, but you and I both know that can happen now. I fell in love with the charming hero in the black suit. And you…”

His hands reached up to cup her head gently, so he could lose himself in her blue eyes. “I fell in love with the brilliant fashion designer in pink.” Chat Noir rested his forehead against hers and breathed in deeply. 

Marinette laced her hands behind his back and pulled his body closer. Being with him like this felt so right. She knew, without a shadow of a doubt, even if he hadn’t been the boy she’d pined after for years that she still would feel this way. She would still want to spend every day with her Chaton. They were absolutely alone in the middle of the night, and even though they were in a public park, the moment felt intimate. “You fell in love with more than just Marinette.” There was no hesitation behind her words. Chat had begun to lean in for a kiss, but he paused when she spoke. Their lips barely a breath apart, he looked at her through nearly closed eyes, questioning. She faintly brushed her lips across his. It was unclear if the electricity was from the kiss or the anticipation of what she was about to say, but all it did was spur her on further. “Spots on,” she whispered as she closed the distance between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just love a cliffhanger. 
> 
> One more chapter! I can't believe I've made it this far. I couldn't have done it without all your support. I hope you all will stick around to read any future stories I put out. I forgot how happy writing makes me. 
> 
> Also, I'm still slightly concussed, but I spent most of the day playing DnD, so I'm heavily inspired. Might just keep writing past this cliffhanger tonight so the next chapter can come sooner!


	23. End Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Love confessions are never easy.

**Chapter 23: End Game**

“Marinette!” Alya shrieked as she sprinted down the school steps. The bluenette braced herself for the inevitable tackle-hug she was about to receive. Sure enough, Alya was an unstoppable force, nearly planting them both on the ground. Marinette breathed into the hug. It was a relief to feel normal again. Ever the reporter, her best friend had questions. “Are you okay, girl? I haven’t seen you since… well, since Cajoler took me. How’d you escape the bomb? Tell me everything!”

Marinette giggled. “Need some content for the Ladyblog? As if the site hasn’t gotten a billion-times more popular since Cajoler hijacked it.”

Alya shrugged off her comment. “I will accept free publicity any day.”

At that, blue eyes pinched together with a cringe. “Free? That’s not the word I’d use.”

“I wasn’t scared. I believed in Ladybug and Chat Noir. Nothing would shake that confidence. Now don’t think I didn’t notice you dodging my question!”

Sighing, Marinette gave her an answer. “Chat Noir saved me from the bomb. He guarded me for a while after that, but then Ladybug hid me far away to keep me safe. I only got home when everything was over. It was all pretty uneventful.” Hopefully that staved off any more inquiries.

Apparently not. “Oh, I need to hear everything about your time with  _ Chat Noir,  _ especially since I know he KISSED you!”

“Keep your voice down!” Marinette gasped. They were a considerable distance from other classmates, but she didn’t need knews of her kissing a certain black-clad superhero to spread. Especially not if she wanted her plan for the day to work. “We talked it over and decided there was nothing there besides the stress of the situation to cause the kiss. That’s it. But, you weren’t wrong about one thing.”

Alya raised an eyebrow skeptically. “Oh?”

Marinette gave her friend a conspiratory smile. “It gave me the proper push to confess my feelings for Adrien.”

The reporter’s eyes glimmered like she’d just heard juicy news, but her smile was teasing. “Is that so? Have you already done it, or is there still time to chicken out again?”

Looking at her phone to check the time, Marinette felt her heart skip a beat. 5 minutes until class. Perfect timing. “I’m going to do it now.” Before Alya could react, the bluenette set a determined stride to the front doors of the school. She could hear the flabbergasted shouts as her best friend tried to catch up, but she just pushed open the main doors and locked eyes with her target. 

Seeing him made her heart skip a beat. She couldn’t believe, after all this time, he was almost hers. The thought caught her breath in her throat and she stopped to mentally prepare herself again, rehearsing the words she’d planned again in her head. Chat Noir had been very patient with her the night before while she fumbled over the confession over and over again. He’d sat there in her room, smiling warmly, looking at her with all the love in the world. Anytime she became too flustered, he’d give her a gentle kiss to reassure her that his feelings were real. Marinette bit her lips at the memories, already fighting the blush that she knew was creeping on her face. 

Alya had gathered a small crowd when they entered, consisting of Rose, Mylene, Juleka, and Alix. She boldly proclaimed what Marinette had just told her, causing various murmurs and reactions from the group. 

“Oooooh, how romantic!” Rose squealed.

“You’ve got this!” Mylene smiled.

“Fricking finally!” Alix smirked.

“Cool.” Juleka breathed.

Marinette turned to look at them and tucked a stray hair behind her ear in an effort to brush away the pink in her cheeks. Her kitty had helped her pick out the lovely dress she wore that day: a blush pink wrap dress with a small bedazzled cat charm in the center of the bow on her side. He’d insisted she keep her hair down, although she managed to make a matching hair bow from the fabric scraps left from the dress. It tucked away a few strands to the back of her head, framing her face with a delicate half-updo. When she had finished getting ready that morning, she gave him a showy twirl, which led to her landing in his arms and putting the lipgloss she had just applied to waste. There was a reason she packed the lip gloss tube with her today, just in case he couldn’t resist. Not that she’d complain…

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Alya’s question snapped her out of her daydream. The girls were all looking at her eagerly. 

Taking a deep breath, the class president nodded. “I’m ready. I’ve just got to go up to him and say ‘Adrien, I lo-’”

“Marinette!” She stiffened as she heard the familiar voice approaching her. He must’ve realized that she’d lost track of time. Typical of her. But, he knew the plan, so therefore he was looking out for her. Blush deepening, she nodded again to the girls, who now all sported matching thumbs-up. They huddled together as she turned and walked a few steps to meet the blonde. 

“Adrien!” she gasped loudly. His shouting of her name had already garnered plenty of attention, but now that she’d responded, all eyes were on them. Marinette’s crush was notorious throughout the school. Even Adrien himself had known to some regard, although not to the full extent. Now they were standing about a foot apart, and his green eyes were beaming with support. God, even knowing the outcome of this performance, she still was  _ so nervous  _ to say the words out loud. Privately admitting them late at night to her partner was one thing. Publically pouring out your heart was another. “I-uh, I wanted to t-tell you something.”

“Yes?” He said his first word at full volume, but the follow up was spoken in a whisper that only she could hear, and his mouth barely moved. “Just look at me. No one else is here. You’ve got this.” 

_ When did he add ventriloquism to his list of talents? How the hell can I ever be worthy of him? That’s what everyone is going to think, right? Oh no, I’m freaking myself out again. _

Adrien must have noticed the tension in her eyes, so he reached for her hand to reassure her. It wasn’t part of the plan, but she was grateful nonetheless. His touch helped her heart rate slow to normal. His presence was all the confidence she needed. “Adrien Agreste, I’ve wanted to tell you this since that first day when you handed me your umbrella after school. I wanted to tell you when we danced at Chloe’s party. I wanted to tell you when we hid from the paparazzi at the movies. I’ve wanted to tell you every second we’re together, but I never could get the words together. The fear of rejection always loomed over my head, keeping me from saying how I truly felt. But everything changed over the weekend. I realized that I couldn’t hold myself back from the truth anymore. I had to take away the mask of platonic friendship.” She bit back a grin when he gave her a sly wink. He’d help come up with that line. A subtle nod to the true start of their relationship. “What I’m trying to say is that I like you. I really like you, Adrien. And I hope, if you feel the same, that you’d like to go on a date with me sometime.”

He feigned a shocked expression.  _ Naughty Kitty.  _ The crowd was already listening with bated breath. After a few tantalizing seconds, he broke out into a grin. “I would love to call you my girlfriend, Marinette. I really like you too.” Adrien couldn’t hold himself back anymore. He swept her up into his arms and spun her in a circle while the crowd cheered them on. Through the shouts of celebration, he leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “I love you, Milady.”

Marinette giggled giddily. “I love you too, Chaton,” she whispered back as she kissed his cheek. He took that as an invitation. Despite the fact that they were surrounded by classmates and this  _ certainly  _ didn’t look like a first kiss, his lips captured hers with a fervor. The moment their lips touched it was like they were completely alone in the world. Just two lovebirds, sharing a piece of eternity in each other's embrace. For the millionth time that morning, Marinette’s mind was brought back to memories from that morning. This particular time she was in the park with her partner as she felt the warm glow of her suit envelop her. Ladybug could feel the surprise in him when she’d transformed, but he didn’t break their kiss. Instead, after a brief pause, he deepened the embrace and passion. When they’d finally broken apart, both breathless, he’d stared down at her in wonder. After all this time and confusion, there were no more secrets between them. They’d been so silly, pushing each other away in regards to other feelings, that they’d had for each other. It really was ridiculous. They’d spent a great portion of the night reminiscing about some particularly interesting encounters. One memory proved to be their favorite: the night they’d accidentally stood each other up and then met as Chat Noir and Marinette on her rooftop. He’d shown her the gorgeous rooftop date he’d prepared for Ladybug, and she realized just how serious his feelings were. If Glaciator hadn’t interrupted, Marinette admitted she didn’t know how that night would’ve developed. 

Eventually, when they could no longer avoid the exhaustion they both felt, the pair settled into their respective beds. It had been a very busy night. They’d defeated an akuma, witnessed a murder, revealed their identities, laughed about their past, and made a plan for the next school day. Despite the lack of sleep, neither was tired in the morning. They’d happily gotten ready for school, with Adrien leaving about 30 minutes before her, so he could get into place. 

They’d agreed that it would be extremely suspicious to start dating at the same time as Paris’s superheroes, but also very hard to pretend around their classmates that they weren’t a couple. So LadyNoir, as the Ladyblog called them, would have to wait a few more months at least to make their relationship public. But Marinette and Adrien, they couldn’t wait to start. Given that their classmates had no idea their true history, she’d thought it would be better for them to act out her love confession in real time. Less questions that way. 

The plan had gone off without a hitch. The school bell rang, breaking Marinette out of her flashback and, reluctantly, Adrien’s embrace. He still held onto her hand as he led her upstairs to their classroom, with the class behind them. Her boyfriend gave her a mischievous Chat Noir grin from the side. She peered at him curiously. “What did you do?”

“Nothing too dramatic, I hope.” He winked again, and her heart fluttered in her chest. She wondered if that would ever fade, but hoped it wouldn’t. The butterflies he gave her made her feel alive. 

They entered the classroom to find a scowling Lila sitting at her desk, and a belligerent Chloe shouting at poor Sabrina. “How could this happen?! Adriekins should be getting me yellow roses, and instead, he has pink ones! You’d think he’d know me better after all these years as his best friend!” 

Adrien squeezed Marinette’s hand and cleared his throat to get the blonde’s attention. “Actually Chloe, those are for my girlfriend.”

She whipped around at lightspeed, causing her ponytail to smack her mousy friend in the face. Her blue eyes widened when she saw the pair standing close together, and narrowed when she lowered her gaze to their joined hands. Adrien must’ve been feeling defensive, because he raised their hands to kiss the back of hers, while his eyes never left Chloe’s. Her face twisted into a sneer and she looked away, muttering her standard, “Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.”

His green eyes returned to find a surprised Marinette. “So, shall we take our seats, Princess?” Someone, probably Rose, squealed happily behind them at his words, reminding Marinette that they were blocking the doorway still. She allowed herself to be pulled along to the front row of seats. Where Nino usually sat instead was a bouquet of soft pink roses. The DJ must’ve been in on it, because he slipped into her usual seat next to Alya without complaint while the rest of the class filed in behind them. 

Marinette narrowed her eyes and tried to hide a smile when she looked at Adrien. “What’s this? I thought  _ I _ was the one who confessed my feelings to  _ you _ .”

He gave her that adorable grin. “You beat me to it. But get used to this, because I will not hesitate to spoil you every single day. You deserve every bit of it.”

No way she could pretend to stay mad at him after the way he looked at her with so much love. Instead, she just leaned forward to give him a kiss, gentle and chaste this time, unlike their school courtyard show. Chloe’s shriek in the background gave them both a chuckle. At Mme. Bustier’s entrance, the pair broke apart and went to their seats. Marinette buried her face in the roses to hide the giant smile that she couldn’t seem to calm. 

This was really happening. 

She was sitting in class next to her  _ boyfriend _ , who just so happened to be the guy she’d been in love with for years, as well as her masked best friend. 

There might be more trials ahead of them, with the threat of akuma’s still a daily reality, but together they could do anything. 

They might have just fought the Long Game, but inevitably, they were the End Game. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINAL CHAPTER! Ahh! Honestly I'm so thrilled to have gotten this far. I've rarely ever finished any story I started writing, even when I'm 100+ pages into it. Sharing it with you all might've been the proper push I needed, tbh. I typed the last words at 2 am this morning with my boyfriend proof-reading over my shoulder, and then slept like a baby because I felt so much joy and accomplishment. I hope you've all enjoyed this journey with me. I look forward to embarking on the next one!


	24. NEW FIC ANNOUNCEMENT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not a real chapter to this story, but one for a new one!

So I finally started on my next fanfiction! It's Lukanette centric, but will have splashes of other pairings mixed in. This idea gave me so much excitement that it's been on my mind nonstop. I've learned a little from this fic though, so I'll try writing a few chapters ahead before posting more so I avoid plot holes or confusion. For now, you can enjoy the first chapter at the link below, which very well could work as a stand-alone if I didn't intend to continue it. 

SUMMARY: As our heroes begin to settle into their new relationships, an accidental encounter leads Chat Noir to believe Luka is cheating on Marinette with Ladybug. But are his feelings of anger only protective of his friend, or more akin to jealousy. She's just a friend, right?

<https://archiveofourown.org/works/24184843/chapters/58251037>

Anyways, in the long run, even if my future fics don't get as much attention as this one did, I'm still forever grateful for this experience. You all helped me fall in love with writing again. Thank you for amusing me with your comments and reactions, and making my heart swell every time I had a new Kudos. You are all Miraculous. 

Thank you all, and enjoy the rest of your day! (or night, I suppose. I don't know where y'all even live.)

Ramble over. - Jess


End file.
